The Substitute
by Sailor-Helios
Summary: CH 20 UP!Inuyasha and Kikyo are the hottest couple in their school...until they break up. Inuyasha wants Kikyo back so he uses Kagome, a geeky nobody, to make Kikyo jealous. How will things turn out?IK,SM
1. Endings and First Meetings

Whee! I never thought I'd go back again and edit the earlier chapters (yeah, I'm lazy, I know). I guess some readers are a bit turned off at the first few chapters, seeing they are not as well written as the later chapters. I don't want to do any major revisions on the earlier chapters because, well, I like them as they are. I also decided that I will do very little changes/additions to the early chapters, except when completely necessary. Reading them makes me nostalgic, so sue me.

You'll be happy to know I did corrections in grammar. If there are other errors I missed, forgive me. I'm only human...unless you want to apply as my beta-reader and correct all my wrong grammar. _:LOL:_

I kept the my original author's comments too. I dunno... I just like reading and laughing at myself. _:LOL: __

* * *

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Konnichiwa! In this story, Kagome first has glasses and has her hair in braids. If you can't imagine that, it would be something like Naru Narusegawa in _Love Hina_. But that look is only temporary, okay?

I'm really sorry for my first upload of this chapter. The paragraphs had very little spacing. The good news is the italics are here so you can enjoy the story more. Once again, gomen.

**Disclaimer:** Inuyasha doesn't belong to me. It is the fine work of Rumiko Takahashi.

**Chapter 1**

**Endings and First Meetings **

Inuyasha stared at Kikyo with utter disbelief. "What?" he blurted out.

"You heard me, Inuyasha," Kikyo said silently. "It's over."

The two of them were at the rooftop of Shikon Kokusai Gakuen. Inuyasha could hardly believe what he was hearing. He numbly recalled the events that led to this.

_Flashback. _

Inuyasha looked pissed. But by the look on his face, being pissed was an understatement.

"Where is she?" Inuyasha hissed as he scanned the cafeteria, looking through the sea of blue uniforms for any signs of Kikyo.

Miroku patted him on the shoulder. "Calm down, my friend. She was absent during class. You don't expect her to suddenly be present at lunchtime, do you?"

Inuyasha sat down with a huff. "I know that!" Right now he was so angry, livid even, that his hand was itching to hit anybody, even his best friend right now. Only he and Miroku sat at a large table and the other students wisely kept away as they went on with their lunchtime business. After all, nobody wanted to mess up with the richest kid in school who belonged to one of Japan's most powerful and influential families: the Takahashis.

"And why do we have to sit in the cafeteria again?" Inuyasha growled. "We always have lunch at the rooftop."

Miroku sighed. He was pretty used to Inuyasha's tantrums. After all, they had been friends as long as he can remember. Were they five or six when they first met? He could not quite recall.

"It's raining. I told you that a minute ago."

"Feh," Inuyasha's replied. "_How could Kikyo be absent today?" _He wondered. Today of all days. Today was their seventh month as a couple together. How could she forget that?

He stared at his cell phone. Since he could not reach her on the cell, he had called her home to see if she was sick. Her mother even sounded surprised she wasn't in school. Kikyo was not the type who would just skip classes. He asked her close friends where she was, but to no avail.

"The food in the cafeteria isn't so bad." Miroku piped in, interrupting Inuyasha's thoughts.

Inuyasha looked at him, eyes slanted. "Yeah right. Or maybe you just want to meet girls that you're going to say stupid pick up lines to." Inuyasha pretended to hold an invisible hand. "Will you bear my child?" He said trying to imitate Miroku.

Miroku waved his chopsticks holding an octopus-shaped sausage at Inuyasha's face, ignoring his best friend's almost perfect imitation. "Well, partly. Besides, I can't ignore the free food I get from those girls over there." He motioned to the girls sitting across them, a few tables away from Inuyasha's back.

Inuyasha turned his head to see a couple of girls in their high school waving a banner that said, "We luv Miroku-sama". He managed to smirk.

"I thought you said they were a pain in the neck."

"They aren't as bad as you think, Inuyasha. I think you're just a little jealous you don't have girls chasing after you and giving you tons of free food and snacks."

"Because I have a girlfriend, idiot," Inuyasha retorted. "If you had a _real_ girlfriend yourself, maybe they'd stop chasing after you. Weren't those girls also the ones who tried to kidnap you by putting a sleeping drug on the cookies they sent you two months ago?"

Miroku made some choking sounds. Inuyasha smiled contentedly. "What's wrong Miroku? They trying to kidnap you now again?"

On the way to class after lunch, he suddenly found himself being pulled aside by Yura Kashiwahara, a close friend of Kikyo's. Miroku, who belonged to another section, winked at him and proceeded ahead, trying to ignore the hoard of girls following him.

Yura quickly slipped a piece of paper at Inuyasha's hand. "She handed this to me a few minutes ago." She whispered hurriedly. Before Inuyasha could start asking any questions, Yura gave him a quick smile and hurried off.

Inuyasha unfolded the small piece of paper. It was one of Kikyo's stationery notepads. He automatically recognized Kikyo's neat handwriting.

_Meet me at the rooftop. _

_Kikyo_

Wondering what Kikyo was up to, he shot a quick glance at his watch. It was ten minutes before lunch was over. He had to be quick. His teacher on the next subject did not particularly like him and he was not about to get another lame detention for getting late. Besides, he had something to give to Kikyo.

He rushed to the rooftop.

_End of flashback. _

"But why?" Inuyasha asked.

Kikyo looked at him, her expression neutral. "I think you already know why, Inuyasha."

Inuyasha blinked. He was completely clueless why. "I don't know! What the heck are you talking about?"

There was no reply. Kikyo fingered the necklace, which held a silver ring that Inuyasha had given minutes earlier.

"You do know Inuyasha." Kikyo took his hand and placed the necklace with the ring on his palm. She closed his hand over the jewelry. "You and I were just not meant to be," she said quietly.

Kikyo gave him a light peck on the cheek and elegantly strode towards the rooftop staircase. Inuyasha looked over his shoulder at the door closing behind him. As the bell rang, he threw the necklace away, watching it hit the small puddles that formed on the rooftop after the rain.

* * *

Sango marched beside her best friend, sighing tiredly. They were headed back to their classrooms after finishing their lunch. They were walking at a deserted corridor at the back part of the school. "Can you believe my luck?" She moaned. "This isn't a good day…" 

"What?" Kagome grinned. "Kohaku bleached your uniforms again?"

Sango eyed her, eyes slanted. "No. Even worse than that. Remember what I said about our History professor giving us a research paper where we have to work in pairs?"

Kagome adjusted her glasses. "Yeah, what about it?" She and Sango were the best of friends since elementary, and always sat beside each other in class. Now that they were in high school though, they were not evenin the same section. Kagome found it a little ironic.

"I got paired with that lecher."

Kagome couldn't help laughing. She stopped walking and looked ready to burst from suppressed laughter.

"Oi, what's so funny?" Sango didn't look the slightest bit amused.

"Wasn't he your crush a couple of months ago?"

Sango looked ready to strangle Kagome. Her fingers were twitching. "Yeah, so what?" She replied hotly. "Until I found out he was a notorious playboy and an even more notorious lecher!"

"Who's a lecher?"

The two girls whirled around, much to Sango's horror, to see Miroku pop his head behind a staircase banister.

"What are you doing here?" Sango demanded, starting to turn bright red. Behind her, Kagome couldn't help laughing some more.

Miroku dusted his sleeve. "I was hiding from…some people."

"Oh, your little fan club?" Kagome piped in, trying to keep a straight face. "Sango here was—" before she could finish, her best friend elbowed her to shut up.

"Who's your friend?" Miroku asked, turning to the girl in glasses and braids.

"Kagome," Sango answered for her. "And why are you still here? Shouldn't you be going by now? Or should I tell your fan club where you are? "

"So who was that notorious lecher you've been talking about whom you had a crush on?" Miroku eyed Sango with a weird glint in his eyes. He casually ignored Sango's threat, knowing she was notactually going to do that, and arched a brow. "Anyone I know?"

Sango was turning into a darker shade of red by the minute. "No!" She shot back.

"So why are you so red?"

Sango grabbed Miroku's collar and started shaking him about. "None of your business, you stupid idiot!"

"Sango-chan, you don't want to injure your History partner now, do you?" Miroku said calmly, although he looked slightly swirly-eyed.

"Don't you Sango-chan me, you lecher you!"

Kagome had to grab Sango before she could deprive Miroku of oxygen with the stranglehold she had on his neck. Miroku straightened himself up. "Me thinks I know the person you are talking about." He grinned.

Sango realized her mistake and clapped a hand to her mouth. Right now, she wanted the ground to just swallow her up. But unfortunately, the floor stayed completely solid.

"It's me right?" Miroku pressed.

At that moment, the bell rang. Sango thanked the heavens and ran towards their classroom. "Yeah right!" She yelled back. "In your dreams!" She pulled Kagome, who looked like she had just watched a classic comedy show on TV.

"Why didn't you help me out on that one?" Sango growled, her ponytail flying as they raced towards their classes.

Kagome beamed, looking at her apologetically. "Because you guys were so much fun to watch."

Sango looked at her, eyes narrowed in annoyance. She made a mental note to strangle her best friend after classes were over.

* * *

Kagome climbed the staircase towards the rooftop. After that amusing incident between Sango and Miroku, things started to go downhill. 

If Sango thought Miroku was the worst partner one could have, she begged to differ. Kagome had the unfortunate fate of being teamed up with Inuyasha Takahashi in their History research. He was not in class but she knew he would rather be teamed up with Kikyo Sanada than her. They are a couple after all.

She sighed as she pushed the door open. She wanted to tell Sango of her unfortunate pairing but Sango was part of the Taekwondo Club and will not be available until some time later that afternoon. And until that time, she would be at the rooftop, waiting for her best friend.

There was a single bench at the rooftop, and Kagome was surprised that it wasn't empty.

* * *

Inuyasha's mind was blank as he sat on the bench. He didn't know how long he had been sitting there, but he did not care. He was holding the necklace with the ring. He sighed. He stared at the inside of the ring. He had had it engraved with Kikyo's name. 

"It's a fine afternoon for you to be sitting alone," somebody said.

Inuyasha looked up to see a girl in braids and glasses looking at him.

"Keh!" He growled. "Who are you?! What do you want?" He glared at her angrily, quickly tucking the necklace in his pocket.

"You're really cranky. I wonder how you ever got popular. Must be all that money, I guess." She frowned. "I'm just trying to be friendly, you know, since we are partners at History research."

"What History research are you talking about?" Inuyasha demanded. "And who the heck are you!?"

He saw the girl taking a deep breath, as if calming herself down.

"I'm Kagome. Kagome Higurashi," she told him. "And for your information, I'm your classmate. We both belong to the same section. Or are you too stupid to know that?"

"Say that again and I'll throw you off the side of this building!" Inuyasha yelled. He was in no mood to be insulted by a complete nobody.

"I dare you!" Kagome glared at him. "You are such a jerk, you know that? I wonder how Kikyo ever put up with someone like you!"

At the mention of Kikyo's name, Inuyasha instantly became quiet.

"Leave." he said firmly but silently.

"Why? This rooftop doesn't belong to you."

"I said LEAVE!" Inuyasha yelled, glaring at her menacingly.

Kagome had the feeling she didn't want to know what would happen if she challenged what he said, so she backed off.

"Fine! I'm telling Himura-sensei that I'll do the research myself!"

She slammed the rooftop door as hard as she could as she left. She hoped the door would get stuck so he would never get out of the roof. "Jerk!"


	2. The Worst Day

I revised some part of this chapter since I realized I made a mistake on the number of years Inuyasha and Kagome had been classmates. Well, that's basically it. Really sorry for that.

Now, let's get on with the story, shall we? Oh, and a cameo appearance of somebody from another series. Can you guess who?

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Inuyasha. It belongs to the great Rumiko Takahashi.

**Chapter 2**

**The Worst Day**

"But Himura-sensei!" Kagome whined, wracking her brain for a good excuse. "Inuyasha Takahashi is…is…inconsiderate and rude!" She meant to say "obnoxious jerk", but had the feeling her History teacher would just throw her off the faculty room and leave her partnered with Inuyasha without hearing her out.

The redhead teacher, who was scanning the faculty bookshelf, pulled a book out and turned to face her. His violet eyes softened. "Higurashi-san, I will not just give you another partner or let you work alone." He patted her on the shoulder. "That would be unfair to the other students. I know that some of them also don't like the person they are partnered with."

_"Tell me about it,"_ Kagome thought, suddenly reminded of the Sango-Miroku team up.

"And I don't think Takahashi-kun is that bad. If you give him the chance, you'll see the person he really is," Himura-sensei smiled. Kagome snorted skeptically. The person who he really is, huh? If he was already this obnoxious, Kagome could not even imagine how much more awful he must be after she got to know him.

"B-but…" Kagome stammered. "He doesn't even know me! And we've been classmates in high school more than a year already!" She didn't mean to raise her voice but there was no way she was getting partnered with that jerk. Over her dead body.

Her History teacher grinned. "Even better." Kagome face-faulted in the background. "Through this research work, you two can get to know each other better."

Kagome wanted to reply that she'd rather jump off a cliff than spend time getting to know Inuyasha. "But sensei, I can do the work alone! He can get partnered with someone else. Pretty please."

Unfortunately, Lady Luck wasn't on her side. "The answer is still no, Higurashi-san. I know you can manage this somehow. Now off you go." Himura-sensei shooed her to the faculty door, a smile still on his face. "We still have a faculty meeting in five minutes."

"But sensei!" Kagome protested, turning around just in time to see the faculty door slide shut right on her face.

"Great." She slumped glumly. "Just great."

* * *

Kikyo took a deep breath and raised her bow. After a few seconds of concentration, she let the arrow fly. She groaned inwardly. The arrow was way off the bull's eye. 

"What's wrong Kikyo?" Yura asked, her face marked with concern as she rushed to her friend. Not far behind her was Abi Fujisawa, another close friend of Kikyo's. They had been watching the Archery Club practice from a distance. "That was the fifth miss you had today. What's bothering you?"

"Nothing," Kikyo said quickly, not looking at them. "I'm just unfocused, I guess."

"You barely miss the bull's-eye," Abi pointed out. "The thing that's bothering you is nothing serious, is it?"

Kikyo sighed wearily. "Just stress." She stepped backward and managed to topple over the container holding the rest of her unused arrows off the table. She quickly bent down to pick the scattered arrows up. _"What's wrong with me? Is this guilt?" _She swallowed hard._ "Or maybe regret?"_

"Does this concern academics?" Yura asked as she and Abi peered behind her, interrupting her thoughts.

"No."

"Family problems then?" Abi guessed.

"Nope."

"Or does this involve Inuyasha by any chance?" Yura eyed her intently.

Kikyo suddenly stiffened, dropping an arrow. "No," she said coolly, continuing her work, all the while praying that her friends just leave her be. "I really appreciate you two worrying over me but it's nothing. _Really_. It's just too much stress from all the extra-curriculars." She forced a smile.

Abi patted her on the shoulder. "I can imagine. You are vice president of the student council and top archer of Shikon Gakuen after all."

Yura, on the other hand, eyed her suspiciously. "Okay," she said slowly. "But don't hesitate to tell us if you have a problem, you hear?"

Kikyo nodded mechanically.

"Oh, and isn't today you and Inuyasha's seventh month as a couple? Where's he taking you this time?" Abi asked, clasping her hands together excitedly. "Another expensive restaurant?"

"I don't know." Kikyo shrugged. She straightened up and tried to smooth out the wrinkles on her Japanese archery uniform. "I'm tired so I think I'll leave early." She gave her friends a small smile and went to the Archery Club coach to excuse herself, leaving her friends wondering what in the world was wrong with her.

* * *

Kikyo did not know why she felt horrible. She was slowly walking towards the locker rooms for a quick change of clothes. What she did was the right thing to do, right? If it was, then why did she have the feeling she had just made the biggest mistake of her life?_ "Inuyasha and I were just not meant to be." _She told herself, staring at the ground as she walked. _"You already thought this over. This is no time to have second thoughts! After all, he's-"_

She didn't have time to finish her thoughts as she bumped into somebody.

* * *

"Things couldn't get any worse than this!" Kagome muttered. She had this murderous look on her face and her hands were itching to hit somebody or something, or just about anything in particular to vent her anger on. Swirling dark aura flared around her, and the students nearby wisely got out of her way in case she suddenly decided to pounce on an unsuspecting person on her path. 

Kagome stole a glance at her watch. Seeing that it was almost time for Sango's Taekwondo practice to be over, she headed over to the place where the club practiced. It's a good thing best friends were created for times like this.

As Kagome rounded a corner, she suddenly bumped into someone. "Sorry!" She said automatically. She blinked with surprise when she found herself face to face with none other than Kikyo Sanada.

"Don't worry about it, Megumi," Kikyo replied distractedly, giving her a tight smile. She bowed a little and proceeded her way.

Kagome watched her retreating figure, eyes slanted. "It's Kagome. Ka-go-me." She corrected testily but Kikyo was already out of earshot. Like Inuyasha, she had been classmates with Kikyo for more than a year already. It was starting to get on her nerves that some of her classmates did not even recognize her. She did not mind not being popular, but this was completely annoying.

* * *

Inuyasha cursed for the nth time that afternoon. Leave it to that Kagome-girl to get the door stuck. 

"Stupid bitch." He muttered, trying in vain to make the door open. He had punched it, kicked it, but the metal door stayed stubbornly jammed.

_"What I would give for a blowtorch right now,"_ Inuyasha thought as he punched the door again, half expecting it to open. It didn't budge. _"How many blows can this door endure!"_

Exasperated, he grabbed his cell phone from his pocket and dialed Miroku's number.

"Oi, Miroku!" He yelled through the receiver, not caring if he had perhaps done irreversible damage to his friend's hearing. "Get your butt up here to the rooftop!"

He frowned as he listened to his best friend's answer. "You're busy?" He said skeptically. "Oh really?" From where he was, Inuyasha could clearly see a familiar figure among the cheerleaders practicing in the field a little far off.

"Don't give me that crap!" Inuyasha growled. "The cheerleaders can wait! I'm stuck at the rooftop! Get your perverted butt up here! NOW!"

He ended the call and watched contentedly as the small figure of his best friend headed towards the school building.

* * *

"Get your perverted butt up here! NOW!" Miroku held his cell phone a foot away from his ear and yet he could still clearly hear Inuyasha yelling. His best friend could pick the best of times to lose his temper. Miroku gave out a small sigh. 

He turned to the cheerleaders, who were ogling at him and gave them his signature boyish grin. "Please excuse me ladies," he said apologetically. "My friend needs my assistance. I'll see you around, ne?" He gave them a small salute and then strode off. Hand it to Inuyasha to ruin a perfect moment with the cheerleaders.

After a few minutes, Miroku reached the rooftop door and turned the knob.

"Well, I'm here." Miroku popped his head out, looking at Inuyasha. "What do you want, O great master?"

Inuyasha, who had his arms crossed on his chest and was tapping his foot impatiently, looked on with surprise. "How did you do that?"

"Do what?" Miroku blinked, looking confused.

"Open the door?"

"Umm, I turned the door knob?" Miroku replied, stating the obvious.

Inuyasha rolled his eyes. "Whatever." He pushed his way past Miroku and trudged down the staircase, cracking his knuckles.

"No 'Thank you Miroku, I owe you my life'?" His best friend called from the rooftop door.

"Keh."

"Good enough." Miroku smiled, shaking his head. He had half-expected Inuyasha's answer to be like that anyway. "And you're welcome."

As Inuyasha reached the landing, his fisted hand punched the palm of his other hand. "Kagome Higurashi, you're dead meat!"

* * *

Kagome sneezed. 

"Don't tell me you're getting a cold," Sango eyed her warily. She and Kagome were standing just a few meters away from the school gates, waiting for Sango's father to pick them up. It was already late in the afternoon.

"I don't mind if I do," Kagome replied, looking completely miserable.

Sango gave her friend a sympathetic smile. "Come on, cheer up." She patted her best friend on the shoulder. "At least _your_ partner isn't perverted."

"Yeah, I guess." Kagome gave her a small smile. _"Maybe it isn't so bad—"_

Sango suddenly snapped her fingers. "Oh shoot!" She exclaimed all of a sudden, cutting Kagome's thoughts.

Before Kagome realized what was happening, Sango had suddenly tossed her bag and the can of orange soda she was sipping at her direction. "Sango! What in the world—" Kagome cried, hastily catching the can before it landed on the ground while balancing the two bags on her other arm.

Sango clasped her hands together in apology. "Hold those for a minute, please! I forgot my Math and History books I need for cram school at the practice area. Please…"

"Er…"

"Thanks!" Sango grinned as she sprinted back inside the campus, not waiting for her Kagome's answer.

Kagome watched Sango's retreating figure, pouting slightly. Sango's bag wasn't exactly light. She sighed as she shifted her weight from one foot to the other, wondering what Sango possibly had in her bag that made it so heavy.

_"What in the world is in this thing?"_ Kagome mused, looking at Sango's bag. She shook it a little._"A rock? Or maybe a dumbbell? Or maybe she crammed a large boomerang here? Or maybe…"_

After a few minutes of speculation, Kagome saw a shadow behind her. "It's about time!" She said, turning around with a grin. She was ready to toss the heavy bag back to its owner. But to her dismay, it was not Sango. The grin on Kagome's face quickly disappeared.

"Well, well," Inuyasha smirked. "Fancy meeting you so soon."

"What do you want?" Kagome shot back, sounding irritated.

Inuyasha was twirling a key chain on his index finger. "Nothing. I just wanted to see if my _partner_ is okay."

"Oh really?" Kagome's eye twitched. "You shouldn't have bothered. Is that all?"

"And I wanted to tell you that for a nobody, you sure got some nerve talking to me like that," Inuyasha continued, giving her a cocky look. "It was also a stupid idea to lock me up at the rooftop."

Kagome didn't know whether to be happy or not. One part of her wanted to laugh that she actually got the rooftop door stuck. But another part of her was feeling uneasy. Standing up to somebody like Inuyasha was almost like signing your own death warrant.

"You've got a problem with that?" Kagome replied coolly. No way was she going to give him the satisfaction of seeing her intimidated.

"Aren't you going to apologize?"

"Are you kidding? And why should I apologize to a jerk like you?"

"Well excuse me for being a jerk," Inuyasha retorted. "At least I'm not _butt-ugly_."

"What did you call me?!" Kagome's temper was at its breaking point. "Say that again and you'll be sorry!"

"Really?" Inuyasha snorted. She was threatening him? "Butt-_ugly_."

Kagome dumped the contents of the can of soda on Inuyasha's head. His jet-black hair was instantly drenched with all the orange soda and his uniform had acquired light orange streaks from where the orange soda dripped from his hair.

"I told you you'd be sorry." Kagome smiled with satisfaction as she watched him slowly push a few wet locks away from his amethyst eyes.

"You'll pay for that, bitch," Inuyasha said quietly, giving her a death glare. "You're going to regret this, mark my words." With that, he stormed off.

Kagome, who was expecting him to do anything but retreat, looked on, dumbfounded. Did she just do that? It took a few seconds before she realized what she did. Noticing no students were around to see their fight, she was quite relieved. At least she won't be the topic back bites and conversations tomorrow for doing that to the school's most popular student.

When she was about to congratulate herself for her feat, she suddenly heard the sound of tires screeching. A second later, Inuyasha passed by in his sports car at top speed and splashed Kagome with the muddy puddle on the side of the road.

"Take that, wench!" Inuyasha yelled, stopping a few meters away. He stuck his head out of his car window, and was pleased to see Kagome dripping from head to foot with muddy water. "Butt-ugly!" He then stepped on the gas and drove off, leaving Kagome in a cloud of dust.

Kagome angrily wiped her glasses with her sleeve cuff. "TAKAHASHI!"


	3. A Single Candle

I'm back! Christmas break is here so as I said, here's my (long overdue) update.

**Disclaimer:** Inuyasha does not belong to me. It belongs to Rumiko Takahashi.

**The Substitute  
****Chapter 3  
****'A Single Candle'**

Kagome slowly trudged up the stairs towards the shrine where she lived. She tightened her grip on the towel draped over her shoulders, shivering. Sango was kind enough to lend her a towel after knowing how she ended up covered in muddy water.

"Maybe that wasn't such smart thing to do," she mumbled to herself, recalling the incident earlier with Inuyasha. _"Stupid. Stupid. Stupid." _She repeated to herself. She was going to get it tomorrow. She had this feeling Inuyasha was conjuring something horrible. Nobody had ever tried to stand up to him, maybe besides his closest friends, so she knew she was in trouble.

_"I shouldn't have let my temper get the better of me,"_ she continued. One part of her told her he deserved it, but looking back at it now, with the threat of Inuyasha's retaliation, it was not worth it.

"Onee-san!" Souta called. He had been playing video games. "Okaeri nasai!()"

Kagome grunted in reply and marched towards her room.

"What happened to you?" Souta asked, trailing behind her.

"Don't ask," Kagome replied tiredly. "It's a long story."

"Why are you all wet and muddy? You fell into a puddle or something?"

"No," Kagome replied flatly. Hand it to little brothers not to listen.

"Somebody pushed you into a puddle?"

"No," Kagome repeated, climbing up the stairs towards her bedroom. "Aren't you busy playing Final Fantasy or something?" She wanted Souta to stop pestering her with questions.

Her brother still wasn't listening. "Some car splashed you with the puddle on the side of the road?" Souta continued, making Kagome pop a vein. Her brother was going to get it now.

Kagome turned around to face her little brother, dark aura flaring behind her. She was about to give him a piece of her mind when she suddenly decided against it. She had had enough yelling for one day. "Something like that," she replied wearily. Souta, who was expecting a tirade, jumped back a little. Her sister was so unpredictable at times it was scary.

Kagome turned around to open the door to her room. "Has mom arrived yet?"

"Nope," Souta answered. "And grandpa's cleaning the shed, if you're looking for him too…You're okay, aren't you?" He added a little hesitantly.

"Yeah, don't worry," her older sister nodded. "I'll be at the bathroom if you need me." She shut the door.

* * *

Kagome vigorously rubbed her wet hair with a towel. She let out a relieved sigh, happy to finally get rid of all that mud and dirt. 

As she was about to step out of the bathroom, she passed by the mirror perched above the sink. After hesitating a little, she wiped the moisture from the steam of her hot bath off the mirror with the palm of her hand.

Was she really that revoltingly ugly? She stared at her reflection in the mirror. Well, she was not drop dead gorgeous, that was for sure. Her eyes looked tired without her glasses and her wet hair was still in clumps since she had not combed it yet. Kagome sighed. Maybe she really was what Inuyasha said she was.

She pouted. "What if I am?" She said to nobody in particular. "At least _I'm_ not an obnoxious and psychotic moron."

She grabbed her glasses, wiped the moisture off the lens and exited the bathroom. She really didn't care if she was the homeliest schoolgirl on the face of the planet. Heck, she did not even care if she was the homeliest girl in the entire universe. But when an insult like that came from the likes of Inuyasha, she could not help but feel more than a little irritated.

Deciding to spare herself from premature frown lines, she let the matter drop and dressed up for dinner.

* * *

Sango was so ready to kill somebody. 

She attended cram school after her regular high school classes. She didn't particularly like cram schools since she was already quite exhausted with regular classes and extracurriculars. Her father had told her it was in preparation for university entrance exams, among other things. Sango wanted to say she still had one and a half years left in high school before going off to college, but decided to go along with her father's wishes anyway. After all, cram school wasn't exactly going to kill her, right?

But today she wanted to drop dead, or at least will the person sitting next to her to keel over.

She glanced sideways at her new seatmate. "Oi, Kanzaki," she muttered. She was quite thankful their instructor had left while they did a couple of math exercises. "What in the world are you doing here?"

Miroku, who had been reading a porn magazine hidden by a notebook, turned to her upon hearing his surname. "To attend cram school like you," he said with a huge grin. "Aren't you happy, Miyabe-san? Such a coincidence that we go to the same cram school." Sango looked completely murderous beside him. "And Kanzaki is too formal, Sango-chan. Just call me Miro-chan." He flashed her another grin which would have sent his any of his fan girls swooning.

But then again, Sango was not one of his fan girls. "Of all the cram schools in Tokyo, you just had to pick this one, did you?" She responded edgily, a vein throbbing in her forehead.

"This is one of the most exclusive cram schools after all," Miroku answered, tucking his magazine into his bag. "Not to mention none of my weird fan girls study here." He added in a whisper.

"Why don't you go to another _exclusive_ cram school to save us all a lot of trouble?"

"I'm hurt, Sango-chan," Miroku clutched his chest, pretending to feel pain. "I thought you'd be happy to see me, after all I was your crus—"

Before he could finish, Sango had realized where his speech was headed and promptly shut him up. She threw her bag at his direction, which hit him squarely in the face. All the other students ducked aside as Sango marched towards his table and kicked him, sending him straight to the wall.

"All righty class." Their cram school instructor entered with a cheerful grin after a few minutes. "Everyone finished?"

His gaze wandered to a male student glued to the wall. Some of the plaster on the wall had started falling off. "What happened to Kanzaki-kun?" Their instructor, Soushi-sensei asked, sweat-dropping.

Everyone kept quiet. After all nobody wanted to incur the wrath of the Taekwondo girl. Who would? Well, except perhaps for the pervert stuck on the wall.

"Aren't we going to pass our answer sheets, Soushi-sensei?" Sango cheerfully piped up after a few seconds of silence.

The instructor shrugged and proceeded collecting their papers.

* * *

Kagome finished blow-drying her hair. She parted her hair and braided the right half before going on to the left. After all that was said and done, she skipped off to dinner, forcing herself to think of cheerful thoughts instead of the events that occurred earlier that day. 

She headed to the kitchen to see her mother preparing dinner. "Mama!" She greeted, giving her mother a peck on the cheek.

Her mother gave her a smile. "How was your day, dear? Souta told me you got splashed with puddle by a passing monster truck. "

Kagome's eyes slanted. Her mother did not actually belief that exaggeration Souta gave her now, did she? Kagome swore she was going to have a little talk with her brother about stretching the truth a little bit too much."Nah," she replied pleasantly. "In fact, today was pretty okay." Yeah, right.

Her mother nodded and then proceeded preparing dinner. "Kaede-obaasan is coming over for dinner."

Kaede was one of their closest family friends. "Really?" Kagome inquired, looking slightly surprised. "What's the occasion?" It was not that Kaede-obaasan rarely visited them. But since she ran a small noodle restaurant, she did not visit very often.

"Don't you remember?" Her mother blinked at her with surprise. "Today is your grandfather's birthday."

Kagome slapped her forehead. How could she forget that of all things? The events in school earlier completely wiped it off her mind. "Ah, shoot," she mumbled under her breath. "I forgot to buy him a present."

"Don't worry about it," her mother assured her. "Grandpa won't mind."

Kagome gave a thankful smile to her mother and proceeded setting the table for dinner. Maybe she should just give her grandpa an "I owe you". Even if she had the time to look for a gift, she'd probably still have a hard time finding a certain Shikon no Tama, a Kappa's foot or some other mystical creature's body part to give him. Her grandfather really had a thing for objects like those.

* * *

"I want some cake!" Souta cried, finishing his dinner. "Why didn't you bring the cake before we ate, Ma?" 

"Because it would spoil your dinner," Kagome answered for her mom. "And besides, we were afraid you'd eat it all up since you earlier complained you were so hungry you could it an elephant."

"Oi, I said horse," Souta replied, a little peeved. "I wasn't _that_ hungry."

"And you said I got splashed by puddle by a monster truck."

Souta blinked innocently. "Didn't you? You didn't say what kind of vehicle it was anyway."

"Don't you know exaggerating can get you in trouble?"

Her mother suddenly cleared her throat and motioned Kagome to the kitchen, saying she needed help on the cake. Kagome followed, looking back to see Souta talking animatedly to her grandfather and Kaede-obaasan about his video games.

"And I beheaded the big boss just like that," Souta narrated, making a slashing move as Kaede and his grandfather listened. "And..."

Kaede-obaasan had probably asked what he had been doing these couple of days to make Souta talk about video games. Kagome smiled and shook her head. Souta could be annoying at times but he was still her little brother, after all. She then proceeded to the kitchen.

She saw her mother sticking a single candle at the very middle of the cake, which they had made late last evening. The circular cake had white icing and lined with strawberries and other sorts of pastry decorations. Their mother had warned Souta not to eat it for midnight snack or for any other snack for that matter or risk losing his Play Station.

"Why does it only have one candle?" Kagome asked. "Isn't Grandpa a little over sixty?"

"Well, if we put sixty plus candles on the cake, there would probably be not enough room to put all the candles now, would there?" Mrs. Higurashi answered.

Kagome was imagining what a cake with more than sixty plus candles would look like. Needless to say it would look more like a candle porcupine than a birthday cake.

Her mother wiped her hands on her apron. "Please hold the kitchen door open, Kagome."

Kagome obliged and while she held the door open, she noticed a folded piece of paper on the floor where her mother had been preparing the cake. She quickly headed over and picked it up. It was a letter addressed to her mother. But before she could read it, Souta barged into the kitchen.

"Onee-san!" He called, sounding impatient. "What're you doing? Grandpa's going to blow his candle."

"Coming!" Kagome responded, tucking the letter into her pocket and scurrying over to the dining area.

* * *

"Chichi-ue()!" Sango wailed as her father arrived to pick her up. "Please send me to another cram school! I have a new classmate and he's really…" Sango searched her head for a good word. 'Perverted' didn't sound right. She'd be sorry for Miroku if she told her father that. Her chichi-ue would probably beat Miroku to a pulp. Hey, why would she be sorry? "He's really weird and he constantly annoys me." 

"Really?" Her father's brow arched. "Weird in what way? Good or bad?"

"Hi Sango-chan!" Miroku piped up. Sango turned to see him heading their way. It was amazing how he could easily recover after being pummeled like that.

"That's him!" Sango pointed a shaking finger at her classmate, and then hid behind her father. "That's the guy I'm talking about!"

"Him?" Her father asked calmly, looking down at his daughter, who nodded. "You mean Miroku-kun?"

"M-Miroku-_kun_?" Sango sputtered with disbelief. She hadn't told her father that lecher's name yet. How could he know? Perhaps…

"Hi Mr. Miyabe," Miroku greeted pleasantly. "I didn't know you also pick your daughter up from cram school. I was going to give her a ride home if she wanted."

"That's nice of you, Miroku-kun," Mr. Miyabe replied, smiling at him. "When did you start in this cram school? I haven't seen you here before."

"Just today. Dad said it was better if I passed the time learning something in a cram school than just goofing around after classes."

"Oh really? How's Yusuke doing? His business still doing well?"

Sango, with eyes wide as platters, couldn't believe the conversation she was hearing. Or rather, she refused to believe it. "Y-you know each other?" She asked faintly. She was not hearing this. She pinched herself. Ow. Okay, so she was not dreaming.

"Of course," her father answered. "His father is a business associate of mine." At the background, Miroku grinned, waving at her. "What were you saying about Miroku-kun earlier again?"

That was it. This was not happening. Sango prayed that a freak thunderbolt or a passing meteor would hit her and spare her from this misery.

* * *

Kagome's mind was whirling. She had just read the contents of the letter a few minutes ago and now she wished that she had not read it at all. 

_"We are sorry to inform you that this company no longer needs your services…"_

Kagome swallowed hard. That line kept repeating in her head like a never-ending echo. Her mother got fired from her job. That was enough to completely squash the party spirit out of Kagome.

Like the events of the whole day wasn't bad enough already. But this seemed like the climax to a day filled with nothing but rotten luck. _"Someone must really hate me up there…"_ Kagome mused.

She turned when she heard laughter coming from the living room from her family and Kaede-obaasan. An idea began to form in her head. She eyed Kaede-obaasan with keen interest.

_"It's not a bad idea,"_ Kagome thought. _"Anyway, what have I got to loose?" _

**

* * *

**

**A/N:** Dum dum dum…What is Kagome up to? You'll see.

Chichi-ue is an old word for father in Japanese. Otou-san is its modern counterpart. Chichi-ue is what Sango and Kohaku use to call their father. Okaeri nasai means "welcome home".

The chapter's quite serious (and long), isn't it? I can't have Inuyasha and Kagome breathing down each other's necks all the time. Well, except for Miroku and Sango, but they're different. You have probably noticed our favorite hanyou is missing in action. He'll be in the next chappie, so fear not.

Well, after a few weeks of hiatus, what do you think of this chap? Please let me know. I would really appreciate it.


	4. Hit and Run

Thank you very much to all those who reviewed on the last chapter!

I'm really sorry if this chapter came out late. I had to write and rewrite it because I didn't like the way some parts turned out. Man, I really have a hard time writing chapters that include Kikyo. I wonder why.

Although the first part of the chapter is quite serious, you will see some Inu/Kag interaction at the end of the chappie. You asked for it, you got it.

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Inuyasha. It belongs to Rumiko Takahashi.

**The Substitute  
****Chapter 4  
****'Hit and Run'**

Inuyasha smirked. Looking at his side mirror, he saw a livid Kagome, dripping from head to foot with muddy water, waving a fist angrily at him. "INUYASHA!"

"You stupid jerk! I ought to…!" Man, he was already some distance away from the girl and yet he could still hear her screaming… Scary.

He pushed a clump of his sticky bangs back. Ugh. Having orange soda on your hair and on your shirt uniform was not pleasant, to say the least. Oh well, at least she did not dump glue on him, or stuck chewed gum on his hair. That was something to be thankful for. Inuyasha shuddered at the thought of having bald patches on his head where the glue or gum could not be washed off.

Inuyasha sighed. "This is really not my day," he muttered, sighing tiredly. His eyes slanted as he counted off all the rotten things that happened that day. "Let's see. Kikyo dumps me today of all days, I get stuck at the rooftop, and that bitch dumps orange soda on me. Oh, screw my life."

Deciding that he needed to wash the sticky soda of his hair, not to mention he needed time to brood, he headed home. He turned his car stereo on full volume and stepped on the gas. He swerved in and out of traffic, not caring if he had the other motorists frantically veering out of the way to avoid a major collision with his Ferrari.

* * *

Kikyo looked out of the car window, watching the scenery fly past. She sighed. 

"Anything wrong, Miss?" The driver asked, looking at her through the rear view mirror. "You look blue today."

Kikyo forced a smile. "Nothing, Katsuki-san," she replied to their family driver, trying to sound cheerful. "I'm just a little tired, that's all. Thank you for your concern though." She reminded herself to get better excuses next time. Being 'a little tired' was a lame excuse she had to admit.

The driver seemed satisfied with her answer and his eyes focused on the road again, much to Kikyo's relief.

"You look distracted, _little_ _sister_," Naraku observed. He was a year older than Kikyo and went to a different high school. He was sitting next to her, leaning on the left car door. "You dumped Inuyasha, right?"

Kikyo turned her attention back to looking at the scenery rolling by the car window, ignoring his stepbrother. Did she really look sad? Staring at her reflection, she noticed that she was not a happy camper. Well, she never looked like a happy camper to begin with, but still… why would she be blue? She had made the right decision…right?

_"Inuyasha is a hanyou,"_ she told herself. She had mulled over this before. _"He belongs to a family of youkais. And though he is only half youkai, that makes him no different from the rest of them. You don't want to be associated with his kind."_ That was true. Some humans still discriminate against youkai, and Kikyo's family was one of them.

The car suddenly swerved to the right. Luckily for Kikyo, she was leaning at the right side door of the car, so she wasn't affected as much by the sudden movement. Naraku, on the other hand, landed on the floor, nearly kissing one of Kikyo's shoes. Kikyo's bag also "slid" off the seat and bonked him on the head. Muttering obscenities, he picked himself up.

"Watch it, Katsuki!" He yelled at the family driver. "You're not being paid to drive like an idiot! Oi, are you listening?"

"Lousy driver!" Katsuki grumbled, ignoring Naraku's yells in the background as he watched the red sports car that cut him off speed away. "Just because they have expensive cars doesn't mean they're already king of the road. That little—" Naraku pushed the button for the divider before their driver could finish his ranting.

"Really," he wheezed, fixing his tie. "We should get a new driver. _I'm_ a better driver than he is anyway… And that bag wasn't light, Kikyo."

Kikyo, however, wasn't paying attention to his grumbling. If she was not mistaken, the red sports car was the Ferrari Inuyasha had gotten just last month as a "School Opening" present from his parents. Inuyasha used to drive a Porsche or some other fast and expensive car, but novelty ones tend to become his favorite. This Ferrari was no exception.

Kikyo had a brief glimpse of the driver when his car whizzed past them to see that it was indeed her ex-boyfriend, who, by the looks of it, was ready to kill.

"That sports car belonged to Inuyasha, correct?" Naraku asked knowingly. Kikyo looked at him, slightly surprised that he knew. "So you did dump him. I don't think he drives like that if he's not upset. It's good you took my advice." Naraku snorted. "Like you had any other choice anyway."

"How did you know that about his family?" Kikyo inquired, propping a fisted hand under her chin.

"I have my sources," Naraku replied simply. "We don't want ourselves associated with the wrong kind now, do we? At least this won't have to reach our parents."

"I guess," Kikyo said quietly, giving him an icy look before staring out the window again.

* * *

Inuyasha slammed on the brakes, turned the engine off and stepped out his car, feeling a little better. Nothing beats a good drive at downtown Tokyo to relieve some of your anger. 

Twirling the key chain on his index finger, he headed out the garage while sliding his other hand on the hoods of the other cars that he passed by on the way out.

Toutousai, their family's head butler and his guardian, greeted him on the mansion lobby. His parents were almost always away on business trips so Toutousai was assigned to watch over him.

"What happened to you?" Toutousai asked, crossing his arms on his chest. "Why do you have orange soda on your hair and shirt?"

"It's a long story, jijii," Inuyasha muttered darkly, walking past him. "Don't ask."

"You badmouthed a girl, didn't you?"

Inuyasha whipped around and glared at him. If looks could kill, the butler/guardian would have dropped dead that instant. "So what if I did?" Inuyasha growled defensively. "She deserved it anyway! Locking me up at the rooftop, that wench!"

"Maybe you were turning the knob the wrong way. You sometimes do that when you're upset."

"I was not!" Inuyasha retorted hotly, his cheeks turning red. "I oughta fire you, you old geezer!"

"Well, you can't," Toutousai responded calmly. He was used to Inuyasha's temper. After all, he had been taking care of him since he was seven. "You can fire any other staff but only your parents can fire me, you know that."

Inuyasha's hands were itching to lay a hand on his butler. "Why you jijii!"

"And I should probably thank the girl who dumped soda on you. It's good to see somebody stand up against you from time to time."

Inuyasha seemed to grow three times larger as he yelled his head off at the butler. "Who's the _master_ around here anyway?!" Inuyasha shouted, making Toutousai sway slightly on the opposite direction. "You watch your mouth, jijii!"

A hammer suddenly materialized on Toutousai's hand, which he used to hit Inuyasha on the head. "Don't talk to your guardian that way! I should ground you for that."

"Why you…!" Inuyasha rubbed the bump on his head before pouncing on his butler. Inuyasha was in the middle of giving him a headlock when somebody cleared his throat. He looked up at the to see his brother descending the staircase, a folder tucked under his arm and a cell phone on his other hand.

"What're _you_ doing here?" Inuyasha demanded, releasing the butler from his grip.

"I came to get some documents from father's office for my presentation tomorrow," Seshoumaru replied. "I'm about to make important phone calls so I suggest you take your wrestling elsewhere."

Inuyasha rolled his eyes. Their house was one of the largest in Japan. Inuyasha wanted to tell him to go to some other part of their vast mansion to do his calls where not even dust bunnies could interrupt him. But then again, this was probably Seshoumaru's way of annoying his _little_ brother.

Inuyasha gave him an I-hope-you-die-painfully look before marching up the stairs, his shoulder brushing slightly against Seshoumaru's on his way up. Reaching his bedroom, he slammed the door violently, making one of the paintings in the hallway fall to the carpeted floor with a soft thud.

* * *

Inuyasha flopped on his bed. He had just finished washing the soda off.

_"I hate my life,"_ he thought, staring at his four-poster bed's canopy.

Like his day wasn't bad enough already, Seshoumaru suddenly decides to show up. And every time he went to visit, he stayed for dinner. And there was no way Inuyasha was going to eat with Seshoumaru, especially now. He'd probably puke right at his brother's face. Hey, wait, that wasn't such a bad idea…

"Maybe I should call Miroku," he mumbled, eyeing the cell phone an arm's reach away to his right. He then hesitated. "Nah, he's probably busy with girls or something."

Seeing his car keys at his study table, he stood up and grabbed them. Maybe another drive will do him wonders.

* * *

Kagome fidgeted as she tried to get the right words out. She and Kaede-obaasan were walking towards the bus stop. Kagome had volunteered to accompany her there. 

_"Kaede-obaasan, you know we barely got by with my mama's previous pay, but she got fired today. The small income we get from the shrine is not enough for the four of us so I was wondering if I could get a job in your noodle restaurant," _Kagome practiced in her head. Okay, that sounded good enough. She took a deep breath. Here goes.

"Um, Kaede-obaasan," Kagome started timidly, twiddling her index fingers. "Well, we've known each other for a long time so…well, I…you see…" Kagome was starting to feel stupid. So much for that practice speech in her head.

"Is this about your mother losing her job?"

Kagome snapped her head towards Kaede so fast it was amazing her neck did not break. "How'd you know?"

"She told me over the phone before I headed over," Kaede answered. "She asked me for some advice. She wanted to cancel your grandfather's party at the last minute but I told her not to. She then agreed and said she would break the news to you guys later, for your grandfather's sake. It would ruin the special occasion, after all."

They had arrived at the bus stop and the waiting shed was empty, which Kagome found a little strange. It was not _that_ late.

Kaede sat down and motioned Kagome to sit beside her.

"How did you know of the news?" Kaede asked Kagome as she sat down.

Kagome plucked the letter from her coat pocket. "I found this lying in the kitchen after mama prepared the cake," she said, a little embarrassed. Kagome knew it was wrong to read other people's letters without their permission, but hey, curiosity got the better of her.

"I see."

"So could I get a job in your noodle restaurant?" Kagome squeaked. "I'll do my best. You can make me scrub the floor if you want, Kaede-obaasan. I'll do anything."

"Well," Kaede smiled at her, "we are in short of a waitress. Are you okay with that position? And we have a uniform that is just about your size too."

Kagome brightened up. "Thank you, Kaede-obaasan!" She hugged the old woman tightly. At least there was one good thing that happened today. "When do I start?" She asked, releasing Kaede.

On cue, the bus arrived. "Tomorrow. After your classes," Kaede responded, turning to Kagome before climbing the bus. "I'll see you then."

Kagome nodded. "Hai!()" She waved at Kaede as the bus drove off.

Feeling too happy to go home yet, she lingered at the deserted waiting shed, grinning to herself, not caring if she looked like a lunatic doing that. _"Well, at least my fortune today isn't so bad. Speaking of which—"_ She dug into her pocket and extracted a fortune cookie. Kaede-obaasan had distributed it earlier, but Kagome had saved it for later since she was feeling low after reading her mother's letter. Her grandfather and Souta on the other hand, kept opening fortune cookies one after the other, laughing at the fortunes they got.

Kagome cracked the cookie open and read her fortune.

_You will meet your soul mate on three different occasions today._

Kagome looked amused. Where did Kaede-obaasan get this one? "Yeah right," she smiled, tucking the strip of paper into her pocket and standing up to cross the road.

* * *

Inuyasha put the pedal to the metal. He liked driving at the roads near the outskirts of Tokyo since there were hardly any vehicles on the road even if it was still early in the evening. 

Deciding that he would rather have peace and quiet right now, he bent down a little and turned his car stereo off, which was at full blast. Fixing his gaze back to the road again, he only had a few seconds to react as a pedestrian suddenly crossed the road.

Inuyasha slammed on the brakes.

* * *

Kagome was unable to move as she saw a car speeding towards her. She froze and closed her eyes. She braced for impact, raising an arm to shield herself, but it never came. The car screeched to a halt just an inch away from her. Kagome opened an eye, and seeing she was not kissing the pavement, sighed with relief. Now that she knew she was safe, anger replaced fear and she was ready to give this reckless driver a piece of her mind. 

"Oi, watch where you're going, you jerk!" Kagome shouted angrily, slamming her hands on the car hood. She couldn't see the driver because of the bright headlights. "You could have killed somebody, you reckless asshole!"

"Oh yeah?" the driver retorted, stepping out of his car to take a better look at the person he nearly ran over. "You just crossed the road without even looking, moron! Don't go blaming it all on me you—" He fell silent as he recognized the person he was talking to.

Kagome eyes focused on the driver, her eyes bugging out when she recognized who it was.

"YOU _AGAIN_!" They screamed in unison, each pointing an accusatory finger at the other.

"Oh my god!" Kagome exploded, looking up to the heavens. "How many times must I see you today! Someone must really hate me up there since I keep bumping into the biggest jerk on the face of the planet!"

"And I'm _just_ as ecstatic to see you again," Inuyasha shot back sarcastically. "You just complete my day, butt-ugly."

"Don't flatter yourself!" Kagome retorted, poking him with a finger on the chest. "You're not as good looking as you think you are! If it weren't for the money, you wouldn't be half as popular as you are now! And besides, I'd rather be ugly than be a moron like you!"

"Oh really?" Inuyasha raised a brow. He never laid a hand on a girl, but his one was just asking for it. "Then I should have just ran over you and saved myself this confrontation! No one would miss a nobody like you anyway! You know what, you're not only butt-ugly, you have a loud mouth!"

"Well, I'm only like this to people who are obnoxious and conceited like you!" Kagome was so ready to scrape his eyes out of their sockets. "Psychotic jerk!"

"Bitch!"

"Asshole!"

"Wench!"

"Do you want to die so much, Takahashi?!"

"Bring it on, butt-ugly!"

"Well, what do we have here?" An unfamiliar voice cut in.

Kagome and Inuyasha, whose livid faces were just inches apart due to their name-calling contest, turned around to see two female traffic officers leaning on the hood of their car, looking at them, amused.

* * *

**A/N:** Whew, glad that's over with. Sorry if it was quite long. The next chapter's setting will be the day after. Don't worry, they won't be going to jail. 

"Jijii" is an informal (and rude) way of saying grandfather, as opposed to ojii-san. It can mean "old geezer/fart" or something like that. "Hai" means yes in Japanese.


	5. The Plot Thickens

Thanks to all of those who reviewed last chapter! I never expected that many reviews! Thank you very much.

Naraku is human here. Takahashi is Inuyasha's surname in this fic. Hope that clears up some things.

Oh, I made a mistake when I said Kag and Inu had been classmates for two years. I should have said _more than one year_, since they are in the eleventh grade (Japanese high school is composed of grades 10, 11, and 12). I'm really sorry. I revised the second chap slightly because of that. Sorry again.

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Inuyasha. It belongs to Rumiko Takahashi.

**The Substitute  
****Chapter 5  
'****The Plot Thickens'**

Inuyasha slurped down his third bowl of ramen. Putting the bowl down, he turned to his best friend. "So what do you think I should do?" It was after their classes and they were at Inuyasha's favorite restaurant, sitting at a secluded table away from most customers.

Miroku, who was sitting in front of him, put down the tea he had been sipping. "Find yourself another girlfriend then," he said as a matter-of-factly. "It's not like Kikyo's the only eligible girl in Shikon Kokusai Gakuen(). Or in Tokyo…Or in Japan...Or in the wor—"

"I get it already." Inuyasha scowled at him. "I'm not a player like you. It's easy for you to shift your attention from one girl to another without feeling hurt or guilty."

Miroku took that remark calmly. It was true. "Give me a reason why you won't let her go then." Miroku did not exactly like Kikyo, but if makes his best friend happy, then he would help.

"She didn't even give me a good reason why she dumped me." Inuyasha stared at his empty ramen bowl. "And besides I…" His voice trailed off.

"You still love her?" Miroku finished for him. Inuyasha refused to make eye contact with him, but knowing his best friend, Miroku translated that as a yes. "Well, I guess first love is like that to some people."

"You know what," Inuyasha propped an elbow on the table and rested his chin on the palm of his hand, "I envy you Miroku. You have a girlfriend almost every other week and you don't feel bothered when the relationship ends."

Miroku gave him a small smile. "Love depends on how a person handles it." He took another sip of his tea. "Unfortunately, I don't believe in romantic love, just attraction, so I don't get hurt. It's as simple as that."

Inuyasha snorted and signaled a random waitress for another serving of ramen. It was ironic how best friends who knew each other since preschool had such different outlooks. "Okay, whatever, all knowledgeable swami," Inuyasha said dismissively. "So can you suggest something already?"

"Make her jealous," Miroku answered simply.

"What?"

"Make her jealous," his best friend repeated, as if it was the most obvious thing to do. "Find a girl, be sickeningly sweet and all lovey-dovey to her and in no time at all, you'll have your Kikyo back just like that." Miroku snapped his fingers.

Inuyasha stared at him, eyes slanted. "That has got to be the stupidest idea I have ever heard. Kikyo wouldn't fall for that."

"Well, do you have a better idea then?" Miroku asked.

Inuyasha was quiet. "Well…"

"And besides," Miroku added. "What have you got to lose?"

* * *

"Here's your order sir!" Kagome chimed, setting the bowl of noodles and drinks before walking off. Today was her first day on the job and she was doing well on her first thirty minutes. _"No spills and no goof-ups so far,"_ Kagome thought, congratulating herself. School earlier was also jinx-free, surprisingly. Inuyasha did not even bother her, treating her as though she never existed, which was what he always did until yesterday. That was _way_ better than him and her fighting again. Kagome hoped her luck would continue. 

As soon as she was out of the customers' sight, she fidgeted with her waitress uniform. She was not used to wearing fitting clothes and she could have sworn that it was one size too small.

"I swear I look like a sausage in this thing," Kagome muttered as she sat on a stool at the "Employees Only" part of the restaurant. "Don't they have anything loose here? Like a shirt and a pair of pants maybe?"

"Don't worry, Kagome. It fits you just right," Ayame Kobayashi, one of the three other waitresses, assured her. She sat on an empty stool beside Kagome. "In fact, you look cute." Ayame was on the same year as Kagome, although she went to a different high school.

Kagome blushed. Nobody had called her cute before. "T-thanks," she stuttered, giving Ayame a small smile.

They suddenly heard the "ping" of the bell that signaled them that an order was ready to be brought to a particular table.

"I'll get that," Kagome said and stood up. She headed over to the window where food was served.

"Table twelve," Kaede told her, handing her a tray of steaming ramen. Kagome nodded and steered herself towards the table at the secluded part of the restaurant.

* * *

"I guess you're right," Inuyasha admitted. He took a sip from the glass of soda beside him. 

"Now the only problem is finding the girl to help you make Kikyo jealous." Miroku rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "How about your girl cousins?"

"Nah. Kikyo knows all of them."

"Okay. Any close female friends that Kikyo doesn't know of?"

"Nope," Inuyasha answered. "I don't have any close female friends. Unless you want to dress like a girl?" He grinned, already imagining Miroku in a schoolgirl's uniform with an extremely short skirt. Inuyasha suppressed a snicker.

Miroku choked on the tea he was drinking. "My friend, I'd rather jump of a cliff than do that."

"Why were you suggesting people I'm close to?" Inuyasha asked. "Just curious."

Miroku put his tea aside. "Because if you are going to use just any other girl, you'd probably just end up hurting her. It would be good if it were any of your female cousins or close female friends so there would be no harm done."

Inuyasha smirked. "Ironic thing to say for a playboy like you."

"Well, wouldn't somebody like _you_ feel guilty using a girl to get your old girlfriend back? Honestly Inuyasha, there are plenty of other fishes in the sea. Just let her go. It may be for the best."

Inuyasha decided to sip his drink rather than answer that_. "Other fishes in the sea, huh? If that Higurashi is the only other fish in the sea, I'd rather jump off a bridge..."_ His thoughts drifted to the events that took place last night.

_Flashback. _

"Well, what do we have here?" Turning around, he and Kagome realized that two female traffic officers were watching their little fight.

"Arrest him officers!" Kagome screamed, pointing at Inuyasha. "This reckless driver nearly ran over me! Arrest _him_!" Kagome sent him a death glare.

"I did not!" Inuyasha shot back, gritting his teeth. "She was the one who crossed the road without looking!"

"What do you think, Natsumi?" The officer in braids asked her partner.

Natsumi smirked. "If you ask me, Miyuki, this is just a case of lover's quarrel."

"WHAAAT?!" Inuyasha and Kagome screamed in unison, looking completely horrified at the thought.

"Him _and_ me? NO WAY!" Kagome cried vehemently. "I'd rather drop dead than be in a relationship with this jerk!"

"The feeling's mutual!" Inuyasha retorted acidly. "Like anyone would fall for you anyway!"

"Oh yeah? Like you're the most eligible bachelor around! Heck, I wouldn't fall for you even if you were the only man left on earth!"

Inuyasha's eye twitched. "Like I'd like to be paired with you! The world would end before you find someone who'll fall for you, butt-ugly!"

Miyuki patted her partner on the shoulder. "You're right, Natsumi, it _is_ just a lover's quarrel. Let's go." The two headed back to their patrol car, leaving two fuming teenagers behind.

_End of flashback. _

"Here's your order, sir!" A waitress said cheerfully, placing a bowl of ramen at their table. "Can I get you anything else?"

"Hi Kagome!" Miroku greeted pleasantly. "Didn't know you work here."

"Miroku?" Kagome blanched. Okay, if Miroku is here, then he is probably with…Kagome turned to the person on her left… Oh great.

Inuyasha looked up when Miroku said his greeting. When he saw Kagome, his eyes bugged out and he sprayed the mouthful of soda he had been sipping right on her.

"EEEWW!" Kagome screamed, stepping backwards and watching her apron drip with soda. Thank goodness she had an apron on… "What the heck was that for?!"

"What're you doing here?" Inuyasha demanded, oblivious of what he just did.

"Well duh!" Kagome shot back, her dripping apron forgotten momentarily. "I work here! Are you blind as well as dumb?" Kagome had the urge to dump the ramen on his head.

"You shouldn't talk to your customers like that! And for your information, I'm a regular patron here." Inuyasha stood up and towered over her. "I should report you to Kaede!"

"You were the one who sprayed your drink on me!"

"Haven't you heard the saying 'The customer is always right'?"

"Right, my butt! Like spraying your drink on somebody was ever right!"

Miroku stood up to stop Inuyasha before he did something drastic. "He's really sorry, Kagome," he said, restraining his best friend and giving Kagome a strained smile.

"The hell I'm not!" Inuyasha growled.

"He was just a little surprised to see you," Miroku continued, ignoring him. "Isn't that right, Inuyasha?"

Inuyasha eyed him dangerously, as if willing his best friend to just keel over right then and there. If it was one thing he hated, it was Miroku talking to him like he was a spoilt ten-year-old. He was already seventeen, damnit! He made a mental note to dump his best friend on the nearest trash bin after they leave the restaurant.

Miroku turned to Kagome, sweat-beading as he avoided Inuyasha's death glare. "You've got to excuse his temper. He's usually not this hot-headed."

Kagome looked at him skeptically, hands crossed on her chest. "Oh _really_? I _always_ see him make a perfect imitation of an exploding volcano."

"What's going on here?" Kaede inquired, suddenly appearing behind Kagome.

"Nothing," Miroku replied. Inuyasha sat back down, scowling. He stayed quiet, focusing his attention on his ramen. "Just a minor misunderstanding. Right, Kagome?" Miroku turned to her, winking conspiratorially.

Deciding it was better if she let this incident slip lest it get her in trouble, Kagome played along. "Yes, Kaede-obaasan. It was just a misunderstanding." She tried to look as earnest as possible. "It will not happen again. Promise." She wiped the soda on her apron with a rag from her apron pocket.

The old woman stared at the three of them for a moment before walking off. "Okay then," Kaede said. "Well, Kagome, there's another order for ramen at table five."

Kagome sighed with relief. She thought she was going to get fired, and she was not even on the job for an hour yet. "Hai!"

Making sure Kaede was not looking, she threw the wet rag she used to wipe her apron at Inuyasha, hitting him smack in the face.

"Whoops." She smiled with satisfaction and scurried away before he could go after her. At the corner of her eye, she saw Miroku push a swearing Inuyasha back to his seat.

* * *

Inuyasha finished his ramen in less than five minutes. "Oi, Miroku, I know who the girl I'm going to use to get Kikyo back." 

"Really?" Miroku responded. He leaned closer. "Who's the girl?"

"Kagome Higurashi," Inuyasha replied simply, downing the rest of his coke.

"Kagome?" Miroku looked at him with disbelief. "Kagome the waitress who you said last night was your History partner who locked you in the rooftop, dumped orange soda on you and almost got you in trouble with the police?" He said all these quickly without pausing. He took a breather before continuing. "You're pulling my leg, right?"

"Man, do you have to narrate everything I told you last night?" Inuyasha looked irritated. "Yes, _that_ Kagome who did _all_ those things. How many Kagomes do you know anyway?"

Miroku frowned. "Inuyasha, are you sure your conscience can take it? She seems like a nice girl. Geeky, but nice. She needs a little work on her appearance though, but she does have a nice figure…" He shook his head, realizing he was getting out of topic. "Are you sure?"

"Positive," Inuyasha answered. His eyes then slanted. "And what are you talking about? Nice girl, my foot! Nobody nice would throw a wet rag at a person's face!"

"Well, you did spray her a mouthful of soda without apologizing. I don't blame her."

"Oi, who's side are you on anyway?" Inuyasha questioned, looking annoyed.

"Yours, of course," Miroku answered, waving his hands to appease Inuyasha, who had started cracking his knuckles. "You are my best friend, after all. So how will you get her to agree?"

"Can you call Mushin?" Inuyasha asked. "Since he works for your family for a long time maybe he can find something about the Higurashis that we can use. I'll phone Toutousai. He can use my family's connections for info on her and her family."

"Okay." Miroku started dialing the number of their family's trusted employee.

* * *

Sango tapped her pencil tip on her paper. So far, she had only managed to answer four out of the ten math exercises their instructor had _kindly_ left behind as a "warm-up" for their next lesson. 

_"What's the formula on this one again?"_ She thought, wracking her brain. Not finding anything, she proceeded to question six. Finding she didn't know how to solve it, proceeded to question seven…then skipped to eight…nine…ten… She was beginning to feel frustrated._ "If this is just warm-up, what are we going to take up next? Integral calculus?"_

A cell phone suddenly rang, making Sango jump. "Mushin?" Her seatmate answered. "You did? Good. Spit it out then."

Sango slowly turned to face her seatmate, a vein throbbing on her forehead.

"Uhuh," Miroku was saying loudly, writing down something. "What? Say that again. Oh, I see." He wrote down some more.

Sango cleared her throat. "Do you mind, Kanzaki?" She voiced out, trying to stay calm. "We're trying to solve exercises here. This is not a place for phone calls."

Miroku didn't seem to hear her as he proceeded jotting down some more while conversing on the phone. Sango cleared her throat again. "Do you mind?" She said more loudly. "Oi, Kanzaki!"

Miroku turned to her. "Put the phone away," Sango told him, relieved to get his attention. Instead of doing that, Miroku put a finger on his lips, motioning her to keep quiet. That was it. Sango popped a vein.

Miroku stopped when he saw a shadow loom behind him. Slowly turning around, he saw Sango raising a table high in the air, eyes turning into red slits.

"I'll call you back," he told Mushin and tucked his cell phone to his pocket. "What did I do, Sango-chan?" Miroku asked innocently, turning to Sango and praying that the girl not turn violent again. "Please put that heavy table down. You could hurt someone."

"DON'T YOU SANGO-CHAN ME!" She yelled, smashing the table on his head.

* * *

"So did you get anything?" Inuyasha inquired as Miroku hobbled into the Takahashis' vast living room. Seeing his state, he asked, "What in the world happened to you?" 

"Oh, Sango just hit me with a table in cram school," Miroku replied as if it happened everyday. He sat beside Inuyasha on the sofa.

"The vice-captain of the Taekwondo Club?" Inuyasha inquired. Miroku nodded. "That's got to hurt. You didn't do anything perverted to her, did you?"

"No," Miroku answered. "I don't even have the slightest idea why she hit me."

"It only goes to show that you should never go to the same cram school with violent girls who know martial arts," Inuyasha said as a matter-of-factly.

"It was not my idea to enroll in a cram school, Inuyasha. You know that."

"Okay, whatever." Inuyasha waved a hand dismissively. "So what did you find out about Kagome? The info jijii gave me was just this." He pulled out a single folded piece of paper.

"Well, what does it say?"

Inuyasha cleared his throat. "Kagome Higurashi. Sixteen years old. Lives in a shrine with her mom, little brother and grandfather. A consistent honor student, she received a full scholarship to Shikon Kokusai Gakuen. Her best subject is history, and although she is doing quite well in math, that seems to be the hardest subject for her. She is always seen hanging out with Sango Miyabe, daughter of the owner of Miyabe Shipping Corporation and a stock holder of Kanzaki Telecommunications Inc. Hey, isn't that your family's company?"

"Yeah, dad and Sango's father are pretty close." Miroku nodded. He then whistled. "Kagome sure is smart. Nobody can just receive a full scholarship to study in Shikon Gakuen. You have to maintain quite a high grade but I guess that's okay considering scholars also get a monthly allowance."

Inuyasha snorted. "Whatever. So what about the information you got from Mushin?"

"I think you'll like this one." Miroku pulled out his own sheet of paper.

"Why?" Inuyasha arched a brow.

"Besides all those information, Mushin told me the reason why Kagome is working at Kaede's place."

"They owed Kaede some money and since they couldn't pay her up, Kagome's working for her?" Inuyasha guessed.

"No, even worse. Kagome's mother got fired from her job yesterday."

* * *

**A/N:** If you can't imagine Kagome's waitress uniform, it would be similar to that worn by Shampoo in _Ranma 1/2_. You know, the Chinese blouse and Capri pants with the frilly apron. 

"Shikon Kokusai Gakuen" literally translates to Shikon International School. Sorry if I wasn't able to translate in my earlier chapters. Why I named it that way? I dunno, it just sounds cool in Japanese.

Well, what do you think of the chapter? Was it good or really sucky? If you noticed, Natsumi Tsujimoto and Miyuki Kobayakawa from _You're Under Arrest_ made a cameo. What will Inuyasha do now that he knows of Kagome's plight? How will he get her to agree to make Kikyo jealous? You'll know in the next chap.


	6. Subtle Bribery

**Thank you very much for all the reviews! Thanks for all the encouragement! **A hundred plus reviews on my first fanfic! Arigato gozaimasu!

Sorry for not updating last week. I had a huge writer's block, not to mention I lost inspiration for writing this fic for a while (for you guys who read my announcement, you know what I mean). You can still read the new announcement in my bio.

Anyway, this chapter is quite long (partially for not updating last week ). Please bear with me. After five drafts, I finally finished it. Wheeee! _:starts bouncing around:_

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Inuyasha. It belongs to Rumiko Takahashi.

**The Substitute  
****Chapter 6  
****'Subtle Bribery'**

"Why didn't you wake me up earlier?" Kagome complained as she hastily did her braids.

"I _was_ trying to wake you up," Souta answered, strapping on his backpack. "But you were totally knocked out. If I hadn't tricked you, maybe you would still be asleep."

Kagome quickly put on her socks. Although she was quite annoyed that Souta had used the "we-are-having-oden-for-breakfast" tactic to wake her up, she was thankful for what he did. She sighed wearily. She had only been on the job yesterday and she was already worn out with the combined effects of academics and an after-school job. _"I'll drop dead from exhaustion before I know it."_

"I'm going onee-san!" Souta bid his sister goodbye as he skipped downstairs. Kagome heard the main door slide shut after him.

After a quick check in the mirror to see if she had her uniform on properly since she had changed into them in record time, Kagome ran down the stairs to the dining room.

"Ohayo()," her mother greeted pleasantly, pouring her a glass of orange juice. "Hurry up or you'll be late."

Kagome gave her mother a thankful smile and downed the juice in one gulp. "I'm going mom," Kagome told her, giving her a light peck on the cheek. She grabbed a toast on the table before bidding farewell to her grandfather, who was reading the morning news at the dining table.

"Take care dear!" Her mother called out as Kagome quickly put her shoes on and raced to the shed to get her bike.

_"I wish Sango still came over to pick me up," _Kagome thought as she stuffed the toast into her mouth. Mr. Miyabe always dropped his daughter to school on his way to work, and since they passed her family's shrine on the way to school, it was only natural that Kagome hitch along. But since Kagome had to use her bike to get to the restaurant and home afterwards to save money, she had told Sango not to drop by anymore.

When she reached the shed, her eyes widened with horror. Kagome screamed.

* * *

Inuyasha stared at his watch. Only fifteen minutes left before classes began. He drummed his fingers impatiently on his steering wheel. "Man, where is that girl? Don't tell me she woke up late," he mumbled. No way was he going to get late in class today, especially since first period was Mathematics. And Saitou-sensei, being the sadistic teacher that he was, was not very forgiving to tardy students. 

He then heard a scream. _"Bingo!"_ he thought, smirking. _"And just about time too."_ He patted the handy Swiss knife on his pocket which he had used earlier.

* * *

Kagome tried not to panic as she stared at her bike. Both her bicycle tires were flat. She could have sworn they were still in good condition when she used the bike yesterday.

"Of all the times to get flat tires, it has to be now," she muttered, bemoaning her luck. Saitou-sensei was anything but nice. She could already see herself in the corridor, holding a heavy bucket of water on each hand as a punishment for being late. "Oh well, I guess public transportation will have to do." She dashed down the shrine steps, all the while praying that she somehow miraculously make it on time.

Heaven must have heard her as a silver Mercedes-Benz stopped in front of her just as she reached the bottom step. "What a coincidence," a familiar voice rang out as she took a minute to regain her breath.

The dark tinted window of the two-seater sports car pulled down to reveal Inuyasha Takahashi. "Want a ride, Higurashi?" he offered. "I'll give you a lift if you want."

Kagome gaped at him, dumbstruck for a moment. Did she hear him right? He was offering her a ride to school? Kagome looked up, expecting to see flying pigs any minute.

"Oi, did you hear me?" Inuyasha growled. "You want a ride to school or not?"

"Why?" Kagome asked suspiciously. Something fishy was going on here…

"Why what?" Inuyasha looked slightly annoyed.

Kagome glared at him. "Why are you asking me for a ride? What's the catch?"

Inuyasha frowned a little. "Nothing. We're headed for the same destination so might as well give people like you who could not afford a vehicle of their own a ride."

Kagome raised a brow "You're not planning to kidnap me, are you?"

Inuyasha snorted, trying not to snicker. "Now why would I do that?" He looked at her amusedly. "I have more money than you'll ever earn in a lifetime. And like you have any money to pay for your ransom anyway." At the background, Kagome popped a vein. "So are you going to get in or not?"

"You can stuff your car right in your _dumb_ face!" Kagome snapped, turning heels and walking as fast as humanly possible to the bus stop. "I'd rather walk than hitch a ride with a conceited moron like you!"

Inuyasha took a deep breath, trying to stay calm. This girl was stubborn. He could have sworn that if he offered a ride to any other girl, they would be clambering to the passenger seat even before he finished his question.

"_We're_ almost late," Inuyasha told her, trying to keep his cool as he made his car go on the same pace as Kagome's walking. "So stop acting like a stubborn bitc—I mean girl, and get in."

Kagome whirled around, and glared at him darkly. "I don't trust you one bit, Takahashi. You're planning something completely _sinister_ and I'm not falling for it." She continued her brisk pace, hoping to somehow loose him.

Inuyasha gritted his teeth, keeping his temper in check. He tried another tactic. "Isn't Saitou-sensei our first period teacher?" He asked.

Kagome turned around and gave him a hard stare, debating which was the lesser of the two evils: hitching a ride with Inuyasha and probably arriving on time or arriving late using public transport and facing the wrath of Saitou-sensei. There was definitely no contest.

Inuyasha smiled inwardly when he got her attention. "Ten minutes before the bell rings," he said coolly, looking at his watch. "This is my last offer. What will it be?"

Kagome sighed dejectedly, pushing away her suspicions of him for the time being. "Fine." She sat on the passenger side of the Mercedes with a huff and buckled her seatbelt. "No funny business okay, Takahashi? I'm only taking your offer because we're almost late for cla—"

She didn't finish her speech as Inuyasha revved the engine and stepped on the gas. "Hang on tight," Inuyasha instructed, sporting his signature smirk. "I'm taking a shortcut."

Kagome did not need to be told that as she clung to her seat like a leech, praying that she get to school alive.

* * *

"Anything I should know?" Yura asked, eyeing Kikyo intently. They were seated at Yura and Abi's usual table at the cafeteria that lunchtime. 

Kikyo looked at her innocently. "What do you mean?" She hoped Yura would stop bugging her with questions about—

"About you and Inuyasha," Yura probed, making Kikyo stifle a groan. "What happened? This is the second day you didn't have lunch with him."

_"Because I broke up with him after learning he is a hanyou,"_ Kikyo answered mentally. But she didn't feel like saying it out loud. It felt…wrong. Here she was, smart, beautiful and talented Kikyo, breaking up with Inuyasha just because he was part youkai. That didn't sound right… She had a nice reputation to uphold, after all.

"Sorry guys!" Abi suddenly chimed in, sitting beside Yura. At the background, Kikyo gave a relieved sigh at the interruption. "Sorry it took me some time. You won't believe how many people line up at the vending machines." She distributed their drinks. "Did I miss something?" She asked timidly, noticing the tension between her two friends. Kikyo had taken a sudden interest at the ceiling while Yura looked like she just ate something particularly nasty. "Guys?" Abi prodded.

"I know you're not telling me something Kikyo," Yura pressed. "Tell me what's wrong with you and Inuyasha."

"This isn't just simple lover's quarrel between the two of you, is it?" Abi asked, realizing what they were talking about. "You usually make up before the end of the day."

Kikyo frowned, tracing the moisture on her soda can. They were being more intrusive than usual. This was one of those times when she wished her friends were not so perceptive…and nosy.

"I'm sorry but I can't tell you guys," Kikyo said quietly. She could not tell them she dumped Inuyasha because of that. Yura's boyfriend was a known youkai but her friend did not mind. How would they react if they knew the reason she dumped him? She scolded herself mentally for not thinking about this before she broke up with Inuyasha.

"Why not?" Yura asked, brows arched.

"Just because," Kikyo answered. That has got to be the lamest excuse she has conjured so far, and she slapped herself mentally for it. "Please try to understand."

Yura looked disappointed. "Fine Kikyo," she responded evenly. "Although I think you're keeping something, I'll let it pass this time."

"I understand," Abi said slowly, giving her a small smile. "If that's what you want, we won't force you." Trying to keep the mood cheerful, she took out her chopsticks. "I'm starved. Let's eat already. Itadakimasu()!"

Yura shrugged and followed suit. Kikyo stared at her lunch, not feeling hungry.

* * *

Kagome hobbled into the girl's locker room, intent on changing back into her uniform and having lunch. She was completely exhausted after PE that, if it were not for her stomach grumbling, she would have dozed off to get some much-needed rest. 

"I wish I were as athletic as Sango," she mumbled, realizing that the locker room was already empty. Opening her locker, her eyes bugged out when she saw a beautiful white rose atop her school shoes. _"Who could have possibly given me this?"_ she wondered, picking the rose up gingerly. It was certainly not Valentine's Day and she doubted that even if it were, no one would bother giving her a flower.

Opening the small card that came with the rose, she had to pinch herself to make sure she was not hallucinating.

_Sorry for the ramen incident yesterday. Hope you like the rose._

_Inuyasha _

She read the sender's name again and again to be certain her eyes were not playing tricks on her. Inuyasha Takahashi sent her the rose? Okay, something was completely wrong here. First, he offers her a ride to school, now he gives her a rose. Kagome had this weird feeling that she has somehow stumbled across an alternate dimension when she woke up that morning. This was so weird it was giving her the creeps.

She gave the rose a wary sniff, lest he put something to irritate her nose, before deciding the flower was safe.

"What are you planning, Takahashi?" Kagome narrowed her eyes, twirling the rose between her thumb and index finger. "Why are you giving another girl a rose when you already have yourself a perfect girlfriend?"

* * *

Kagome yawned as she flipped through the pages of a particularly thick history book, looking for information about her history topic. Himura-sensei had announced earlier that they did not have any class on his subject since he had to attend a seminar with Kamiya-sensei. Before any of the students could celebrate, he burst their bubble by telling them to spend his period at the library, browsing for information about their history research topic. 

Stacking the thick book on an already tall pile that was teetering precariously, she then grabbed another book and began scanning through it for information about the Bakumatsu no Douran().

After writing down a few significant information on her notebook, she yawned again. "I wanna sleep," she said drowsily, her eyes drooping. "Or eat lots of oden…"

"So why don't you?"

Kagome's eyes snapped open. She looked up to see Inuyasha's purple eyes looking at her, amused. "You again?" Kagome cried, before clapping a hand to her mouth as she received a shush from the other students and a glare from the librarian.

Inuyasha picked up one of the books from her tottering pile. "You've really been researching, haven't you?"

"I don't know what you're pulling here, Takahashi," Kagome hissed, "but I would really appreciate it if you find yourself another table."

Inuyasha sat down on the empty chair beside her, completely ignoring what she had just said. "But you have this big table all to your itty bitty self." Beside him, Kagome had to restrain the urge to conk him with the heavy book she was reading. "Oh, before I forget," he handed her a folder. "Here."

"What in the world is this?" Kagome asked, looking at him blankly.

"A folder, duh."

In the background, Kagome gave him a dry look.

"You really don't have a sense of humor, do you? It's some info that might come in handy in our research," Inuyasha said as Kagome leafed through the papers inside the folder. "You can check out the finished research paper at the back and see if it's already okay." Inuyasha had conveniently left out the part that it was actually his staff at home who gathered all the information.

"_Our_ research paper?" Kagome arched a brow.

"Well, yeah. I am your partner, right?"

Kagome eyed him skeptically as she leafed through the draft research paper he was talking about. As she browsed at the draft, a small blue paper the size of a check fluttered to the table. Kagome picked it up.

"What's this?" she asked, looking at the piece of paper.

Inuyasha turned to her slightly. "How did that get there?" He said casually. "It's a gift check of 150,000 yen to Tensaiga Malls. Must have slipped there accidentally. You can have it if you want."

Kagome's brows shot up. There were only three logical explanations for his sudden angelic attitude: Inuyasha got abducted by aliens, hit his head really hard, or is planning something evil to be this nice and generous to her. "Okay Takahashi," she said calmly, tucking the gift check back into the folder. "What do you want? _Really_."

Inuyasha looked at her innocently. "You dare question my good intentions?"

"I think your _real_ intentions are anything but good." Kagome's eyes narrowed suspiciously and she suddenly pulled his forelocks. "Spit it out, Takahashi. What are you up to?"

"Stop pulling my hair, woman!" Inuyasha hissed back dangerously. Kagome complied, but still managed to stare daggers at him.

"To be honest Higurashi," Inuyasha looked at her seriously as he straightened himself up, "I have a favor to ask you."

Kagome's eye twitched. "You're asking _me_ a favor?" The car ride, the flower and apology, the ready-made research paper and now the gift check. Realization quickly dawned on her. So that was what all that unusual niceness was all about! "You were bribing me!" She whispered angrily. "And what makes you think I would help you? I would rather jump into a snake pit than ever do you any favor." She stood up and picked her pen and notebook.

"And you're an ungrateful nobody, butt-ugly!" Inuyasha muttered, losing his temper.

Kagome popped a vein. In one quick motion, she pushed the teetering pile of books at Inuyasha, burying him in a pile of dusty and heavy books. She then stormed out the library, hitting an innocent student with the library door on the way out.

Inuyasha emerged from the 'rubble' of books. "What are you looking at?!" He growled at the heads that swiveled at his direction when he they heard the books come down on him. The other students hastily turned back to what they were doing before.

_"Damn bitch!"_ He thought angrily. _"Fine! She doesn't want the nice approach eh? No more Mister Nice Inuyasha. It's Plan B then. You asked for it, Higurashi!"_

* * *

Kagome stepped into her house and was pleasantly surprised to see Souta and her grandfather throwing confetti and blowing party horns as they pranced around the living room. 

"What's going on?" She asked, sweat-dropping, as Souta handed her a noisemaker. "Is there an occasion I don't know about?"

"Mom was offered a job!" Souta answered gleefully. "A company just called a few hours ago and talked to her. She's already starting this Monday! Isn't that great?"

Kagome had to pinch herself to make sure she wasn't dreaming. "Eeh? Really? What company was it?"

"Tetsusaiga Corporation," her grandfather answered, fitting her with a party hat.

Kagome's eyes widened. Tetsusaiga Corporation was one of Japan's leading information technology companies. She then noticed the party hat on her head and quickly removed it, sweat-dropping some more.

Just then, Kagome's mother entered the room. "I just heard the news mom," Kagome gave her mother a tight hug. "I'm so happy!"

Releasing her daughter from the hug, Mrs. Higurashi gave her a cheerful smile. "Now you don't have to work at Kaede-obaasan's restaurant anymore."

Kagome looked thoughtful for a moment before shaking her head. "No mom." She returned the smile. "I just started working for her. It wouldn't sound right if I quit now. I'll still work for her to help in the family income."

"You know you don't have to now," her mother replied. "But I do understand your reason. Don't overwork yourself now, okay?" She ran a hand through Kagome's hair.

"Hai," Kagome nodded gladly.

"Oh, I baked a cake earlier," Mrs. Higurashi told her, leading her to the dining area. "Let's celebrate. Souta and your grandpa must already be eating it."

"They probably ate it _all_ by now." Kagome laughed. "Gluttons!"

The phone suddenly rang. "I'll get that!" She said to her mom, dashing to the phone. "Hello?"

"Hi, Higurashi," a masculine voice answered.

Kagome's eyes widened. "Takahashi?!" She gasped. How in the world did he know her phone number? She was about to ask him when he cut her off.

"Did you get the news?" Inuyasha questioned.

"What news?" Kagome twirled the phone cord on her index finger nervously. What was he talking about? She bet that it was not something good.

"About your mother being offered a job."

Kagome gritted her teeth. "So you were the one behind it!" If Inuyasha was standing right before her, she could have ripped his head off. "You tricked her!"

Inuyasha snorted. "I didn't trick her."

"You jerk! You must have paid somebody to call her and say Tetsusaiga Corporation was going to hire her!" Kagome spat into the receiver, trying to keep her voice down so her family nearby would not hear.

"No, stupid girl." She heard Inuyasha sigh impatiently. "That job offer was real."

"Oh really?" Kagome scoffed. "How do you know that?"

"Have you been living under a rock all this time?" Inuyasha sounded annoyed. "My family _owns_ that company. I asked my dad to hire her, and he agreed."

"Why are you doing this?" Kagome asked, even if she had a good idea what his answer would be.

"I told you already," Inuyasha said impatiently. "I have a favor to ask you."

"What if I still said no?"

"Then you can kiss that offer goodbye. This time, it would be _your_ fault your mother lost that job opportunity."

* * *

**A/N:** Inuyasha is _so_ evil here, ne? Don't worry, he won't be that bad later. It's Friday in the fic. I thought you ought to know since Kag's mom is starting work on Monday. I dunno if there is really that large a gift check, but this is fiction, right? 

"Itadakimasu" can be translated to "Bon apetite" or "Let's eat" in English. The "Bakumatsu no Douran" was a turbulent period in Japanese history during the late 1800s. RK fans would be familiar with this. "Ohayo" is a casual way of saying "Ohayo gozaimasu/gozaimashita," which means "Good morning." A reviewer asked what "ane-ue" means. It is an old calling for older sister (Kohaku uses it to call Sango), with onee-san/onee-chan as its modern counterpart. Hope that helps!

This is the longest chapter I have written so far. I was planning to divide it into two separate chaps (so it won't be too long), but I decided to cram it into this chap as I had originally planned. Don't worry, I won't write this long next time. Was it bad? Good? Tell me what you think.


	7. Stunning Transformation

I'm back! Sorry for the very long delay on this chapter. You can find out the reason why in my bio. I apologize to everyone especially to LiL:.CaT:.AnImE and Inuyasha-girl1117 who even sent a couple of reviews just to tell me to update. I'm really, a really sorry guys for the long delay. _:gets pummeled by pitchforks and rotten vegetables:_

On a lighter note, thank you for all the people who reviewed. Two hundred plus reviews on my first fanfic. Thank you very much! I hope this extra long chapter makes up for the long period that I have not updated. Hope you enjoy it.

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Inuyasha. It belongs to Rumiko Takahashi.

**The Substitute  
****Chapter 7  
'****Stunning Transformation'**

_Oden. Oden was all around. Kagome could not help looking starry eyed. She was in food heaven. Everything was perfect. Life was— _

_"Crap."_ Kagome was jolted awake by her ringing alarm clock. She groaned and covered her head with her blanket. Her right hand snaked beneath her covers and blindly searched for her alarm clock on the bedside table. Locating the clock, she resisted the urge to chuck it out the window and turned the alarm off.

Peeking from her blanket, she realized it was eight in the morning, and it was Saturday, as what she could see from the small calendar beside her clock. Now why did she set the alarm again?

Kagome scowled when she remembered. "Oh yeah. That stupid idiot is taking me somewhere."

_Flashback. _

"What if I still said no?"

"Then you can kiss that offer goodbye. This time it would be your fault _your_ mother lost that job opportunity." From the tone of his voice, Kagome had the impression he seemed to enjoy blackmailing her.

"I never thought you'd stoop so low, Takahashi," she responded coldly. Her hands were itching to strangle him. She gripped the phone tightly, imagining it to be Inuyasha's neck. "You're a complete bastard for resorting to something so low as blackmailing. "

"Name-calling won't get you anywhere, Higurashi," Inuyasha replied, sounding unaffected by her insults. "Is that a no? Too bad." Kagome heard him sigh. "Don't be surprised if you get a call from Tetsusaiga Corporation canceling the offer due to _regrettable_ circumstances. Goodbye, Higu—"

Kagome was shaking with fury that she did not quickly realize he was actually bidding her goodbye. "Wait!" She yelled, panicking a little. From the dining area, her family eyed her curiously. "Don't you dare put the phone down!"

"Is anything wrong, Kagome?" Her mother asked as she handed Souta a second serving of chocolate cake. "Who are you talking to, dear?"

Kagome, realizing she had unconsciously raised her voice, mentally cursed Inuyasha. Plastering a sunny smile on her face which she hoped was convincing, she waved a hand dismissively. "Everything's fine mama!" She assured. Yeah right. "Just a joke between Sango-chan and me." Pretending to laugh, she pulled the phone as far as it could go away from the dining area into the corner that led to the living room, so she was out of her family's view.

"Oi, Takahashi!" She hissed into the receiver worriedly. "Are you still there?" She prayed to the gods that he had not put the phone down. Kagome's eyes suddenly narrowed. Inuyasha was laughing his head of at the other line. For a moment, she contemplated whether being a murderer wasn't such a bad idea.

"Yeah, I'm still here." Inuyasha suppressed another wave of laughter.

"You jerk! You were bluffing!" She whispered angrily. Kagome's temper was flaring that it could have evaporated mercury. "I wonder how your girlfriend ever put up with a scheming moron like you!"

That struck a chord and Inuyasha instantly stopped snickering. "Watch your mouth, wench!" He snapped. "Or I will seriously call the job offer off. You don't want that now, do you?"

"No," Kagome replied glumly. _"I'm not a jerk like you,"_ she added mentally. Something told her Inuyasha was serious this time so she decided to keep her mouth shut. She found it odd though that Inuyasha got touchy whenever she mentioned his girlfriend.

"So what's your answer, Higurashi?" He questioned.

Kagome closed her eyes. "Fine," she sighed, feeling defeated. "I'll do your favor. Like I have a choice anyway. Happy now?"

"Much," Inuyasha answered, sounding pleased. Kagome would have given anything to wipe the smug smirk she knew he was sporting right now. "I'll come by your house at nine am to pick you up. Nice doing business with you, Higurashi."

Before Kagome could ask any more questions, he hung up. Kagome stared at the phone for a moment before returning it to its cradle. She felt like she had just sold her soul to Inuyasha or something, and that left her angry and sad at the same time.

_"What are we celebrating again?"_ She thought, staring at her family happily eating chocolate cake at the dining table.

_End of flashback. _

Kagome kicked her sheets off and grabbed her glasses from her bedside table. _"Wonder what favor Inuyasha wants me to do for him,"_ she thought, looking at her half-awake reflection on her full-length mirror. _"And why me of all people?"_

* * *

Inuyasha whistled as he scanned the shrine grounds. He was twenty minutes early so he decided to take a leisurely walk as he headed to Kagome's house. Glancing at the shed, he noticed Kagome's old pink bike still had flat tires. He snorted when he remembered how he had snuck into the shrine grounds early yesterday morning to punch holes on her bicycle tires with his Swiss knife. 

Reaching the house, he removed his sunglasses and slipped them into his dress shirt pocket. "Wonder how she could live in a small house like this," Inuyasha mumbled as he knocked a couple of times before jamming his hands into his khaki pockets. A moment later, a little boy holding a tubby cat answered the door.

"Hey," Inuyasha greeted. He assumed that the boy was Kagome's little brother. The boy put the cat down and eyed him expectantly.

Inuyasha cleared his throat. "Is Higur—Kagome around?" He asked, trying to ignore the cat weaving between his feet. "I'm taking her somewhere."

The boy regarded him curiously for a second. "You're onee-san's boyfriend, aren't you?" He burst out without blinking.

Inuyasha stiffened before keeling over. "What?!" He half-screamed. "Hell n—"

Before he could finish, a woman appeared behind the boy. "Have you fed Buyo yet, Souta?" She asked, cutting Inuyasha's denial off. She turned to face Inuyasha."Can I help you, young man?"

"He's onee-san's boyfriend!" Souta exclaimed excitedly. "He's taking her out for a date!" In the background, Inuyasha shook his head wildly while resisting the urge to stuff the kid's mouth to stop him from exaggerating.

"Really now?" Mrs. Higurashi replied. Inuyasha did not like the weird glint in her eyes. "She never told me all about you. You are?"

"Inuyasha Takahashi," he answered, sweat-dropping. "I'm not—"

"Who's taking my granddaughter out for a date?" Somebody suddenly demanded. Inuyasha whirled around to see Grandpa Higurashi studying him intently and looking like he was about to stick one of the ofudas() he was holding on his forehead.

"Actually, I'm just her classmate. Honest—"

"I believe you, Inuyasha," Mrs. Higurashi answered with a smile, although her eyes told him she was not really convinced. "I'm a pretty open-minded parent although I wish she had told me before that you were coming. Kagome will be down in a few minutes. She usually takes longer to wake up during weekends."

Inuyasha sweat-dropped. Now why was Kagome's family insisting that he was Kagome's—Inuyasha suppressed the urge to gag—boyfriend? He stared down at his clothes. He looked like he was ready for a business meet with his red dress shirt, neatly pressed khaki pants and well-shined shoes…or he was ready for a date. _"Shit."_

Inuyasha tried again. "_Really_. I'm not her—"

"Why don't you join us for breakfast while you're waiting for her, Inu-oniisan?" Souta suddenly invited, tugging his polo.

"Thanks, but I already had—"

Before Inuyasha could decline the offer or deny any relationship with Kagome, Souta linked his arm around his and started pulling him to the dining area while chattering about his favorite video games. Mrs. Higurashi and her father had shuffled on ahead.

* * *

Kagome tied her sneakers before looking at her reflection on the mirror. She was wearing a loose white shirt and faded blue jeans. _"Well, he didn't say I have to wear a kimono anyway,"_ she thought, rolling her eyes. _"Heck, he didn't even tell me where we're going. And like I care what I look like to him."_

She suddenly heard her stomach grumble. Deciding to have a quick breakfast before the scheming-blackmailing-bribing-jerk a.k.a Inuyasha Takahashi arrived, Kagome bounded down the stairs and headed to the dining room.

Arriving on the dining area, her eyes nearly fell out of their sockets when she recognized the person having breakfast with her family. She could tell that it was him even a mile away.

"What in the world is he doing here?" She demanded, fuming. He was already in _her_ house, _happily_ eating breakfast with _her_ family when he just blackmailed her last night? The nerve of him!

"Ohayo, Kagome!" Her mother greeted cheerfully, oblivious of the menacing dark aura flickering behind her daughter. "You didn't tell me you have such a wonderful boyfriend coming over."

Kagome's eye twitched with disbelief. _Wonderful?_ Inuyasha Takahashi _wonderful?!_ She marched over to her usual seat and froze midstride. _Boyfriend?!_

"He is _NOT_ my boyfriend!" She said hotly. "Why in the world is everybody thinking that?!" First the traffic police, now her family. She threw a death glare at Inuyasha, who returned an I-didn't-say-I-was-your-boyfriend-don't-look-at-me expression before pouring more maple syrup into his pancakes.

"I thought he was taking you out for a date, onee-san," Souta said as he looked up from his breakfast, slightly confused.

Kagome scowled at her brother. "And he is _NOT_ my date!" She replied, trying to stay calm. "He is just my classmates who—"

Kagome paused. Where was he taking her anyway? She looked at Inuyasha for some help but her mortal enemy was busy helping himself to another serving of pancakes. Just what you'd expect from a jerk like him…Kagome made a mental note to slip poison into his breakfast when she had a chance.

"Yes?" Her mother prodded.

"We're going to the public library to do more research on our History topic about the Bakumatsu no Douran, Mrs. Higurashi," Inuyasha suddenly answered before Kagome could think up anything. "I was just picking her up."

Mrs. Higurashi seemed satisfied with the story and motioned her daughter to sit down and have breakfast. "I'm sorry for jumping to conclusions, dear."

"If he was just here to pick me up, you shouldn't have bothered offering him breakfast," Kagome uttered as she flopped down to her usual seat, which, unluckily for her, was facing Inuyasha. "He's not as wonderful as you think." She shot him another glare that promised excruciating pain and torture after all this was over and done with.

"Now now, Kagome," Mrs. Higurashi said disapprovingly as she placed a couple of pancakes on her daughter's plate. "He has been nice and polite since he got here."

Kagome's brows shot up. Obviously, Inuyasha had great acting skills to make her mother believe that he was a complete angel. Her eyes turned to slits as she stared him down, a feat that would have sent anybody running for the hills. "I'll get you, you jerk," she mouthed wordlessly. She was so ready to skewer him with her fork.

Inuyasha gave her a cocky look. "Bite me," he returned mutely, stuffing more pancakes into his mouth.

* * *

Sango peered out the huge windows from the large Kanzaki private library. She and Miroku had agreed, or rather, she was forced to agree, to come to his house after much prodding from her chichi-ue that Miroku was a "nice young man" and because the Kanzaki library was known to be one of the largest private libraries in Tokyo. If she had it her way though, she would rather go to the public library to spare herself a whole day alone with a perverted playboy. 

Fixing her stare at the pool below, he saw a butler approach a sunbathing Miroku, probably to tell him she was already at the library. He saw Miroku nod and get up, only to be stopped by a girl in a skimpy red bikini. Sango watched with a wry smile as the girl draped herself all over Miroku, who gently pried lose from her grip and headed inside, leaving the pouting girl alone beside the pool. Sango could have sworn Miroku's current girl was the lingerie model she had come across on a certain magazine last week.

Sliding her hands on the windowpane, she watched as the model picked up her towel and stomped inside. "Wonder why so many girls fall for him," she mumbled to herself. She remembered Miroku's fan club in school and shook her head. "What do they see in him? Everyone knows he's a player and a lecher. Must be the money..."

_"Why did you fall for him before?" _A voice inside her asked. _"What did _you_ see in him?" _

_"Because I was naïve, and I was not aware he was a perverted playboy,"_ Sango thought, frowning. _"Now shut up."_ Sheesh, she was arguing with herself… That was not a good thing now, was it?

Deciding to clear her thoughts, she headed for the table where she had put her laptop, skimming through the information about their history topic, the Sengoku Jidai, which she had gathered during the week.

_"I can't believe I had a crush on him during tenth grade," _Sango mused after a few minutes of scrolling at the screen filled with nothing but History information. _"It's too bad he turned out to be a lecher. And a player..." _She sighed and rubbed the bridge of her nose.

"You look really cute when you're all thoughtful like that."

Sango's eyes widened and she looked up to see Miroku standing before her table, giving her his signature boyish grin that could instantly turn any of his fan girls into Jell-O.

"Whatever, Kanzaki." Sango turned away, trying to hide a blush rising on her cheeks. _"Darn it! Why am I blushing now? Stupid blood vessels!"_

"And you look even cuter when you blush," Miroku continued, leaning closer that she could actually smell his perfume.

Sango squirmed self-consciously on her seat. "I'm sure," she mumbled, trying to sound uninterested.

If she had not known Miroku was a player, she would have fallen for his charms hook, line and sinker. But Sango knew too well that Miroku was probably being his notoriously playboy self, as she had seen him do this too many times to many other girls.

"Look, Kanzaki," she responded curtly, looking at him in the eye and praying her cheeks were back to their normal color. "I came here to make a draft paper for History, not to be your next girlfriend so I suggest you flirt with somebody else. Like your lingerie model by the pool." She pointed a thumb at the large window that had a nice view of the pool.

Miroku looked taken aback for second. "Don't worry Sango-chan," he replied with a smile. "I'm not planning anything like that. Your father would skin me alive if I did."

Sango looked relieved. "It's good that we have that cleared up." Turning her laptop to his direction, she said, "Check out the draft I made. It still has a couple of things missing but tell me what you think of it so far."

Miroku nodded and pulled a chair. As he browsed through the draft, Sango busied herself by checking out the books on one of the large bookshelves. Pulling out a thick history book from the shelf, she pretended to read it as she watched him browse though her laptop.

_"It really is too bad,"_ she thought, looking at him with disappointment. _"Miro-chan…"_

* * *

Kagome eyed Inuyasha suspiciously. The latter was busy laughing his head off at the comedy he was watching on the small television behind the front seat's headrest. 

"Where are you taking me this time?" She demanded crossly. Inuyasha burst into anther fit of laughter, making Kagome realize he was paying no attention to her whatsoever.

Leaning on his side of the seat, she switched the small television off. She instantly got Inuyasha's attention, who looked extremely pissed at what she did.

"What did you do that for?" Inuyasha frowned and turned the TV back on.

Kagome tried to stay calm by staring at the scenery that flew past the window. "I was asking you for the umpteenth time where you're taking me. We've been to the ophthalmologist, then to a dress shop to get my measurements and just a minute ago to a shoe store to get my shoe size. What is this all about?"

When Kagome did not receive a reply, she turned around to see Inuyasha laughing hysterically as the character on the show he was watching got his head stuck inside the turkey he was stuffing. Kagome was one step closer to internal bleeding as she popped yet another vein. She leaned over and turned it off.

Inuyasha glared at her darkly and turned the TV back on.

Kagome scowled in return, leaned over and turned it off again.

"Stop doing that, wench!" Inuyasha growled and turned the TV on.

Kagome pouted and turned it off again. "I would if you would just answer me!"

On.

Off.

"You're going to break the TV if you keep turning it off, bitch! Stop pressing the off button, damn it!"

"If you just answered me earlier, then I wouldn't be interrupting your precious little TV time, you psychotic jerk!"

Toutousai, who was seating in front of the SUV, sighed tiredly as he heard them scuffling in the back. Rooling his eyes, he decided he better act soon before the two people actually go for each other's throats. Turning around to give them a quick sermon, he sweat-dropped when he saw Kagome pulling Inuyasha's forelocks, while his master muttered a couple of colorful words as he tried to get his hair free from her grasp.

Hammer materializing on his hand, Toutousai hit Inuyasha on the head. Kagome instantly released his forelocks, looking slightly confused.

"Why did you hit me, jijii?" Inuyasha yelled, rubbing a smoking bump on his head. "She was the one pulling my hair!"

"Because you were being rude to her by not answering her question," the butler replied calmly. "I don't blame her."

"Why you jijii!" Inuyasha started cracking his knuckles. "You're supposed to be on your _master's_ side! You want another wrestling match?"

"We've already been through with this discussion, _Master_ Inuyasha. Hit me and you get grounded for a month," Toutousai threatened coolly. "Your parents' orders."

Inuyasha plopped back on his seat with a huff and turned his TV back on, all the while mumbling something about decapitating butlers. Kagome, who was watching the whole scene, turned to her seatmate and smiled with amusement. After letting Inuyasha cool off for a few minutes, she leaned over. Inuyasha looked at her suspiciously from the corner of his eye.

"So where are we going next, Takahashi?"

As if on cue, the SUV stopped. Inuyasha gave her a smug smile and stepped outside the vehicle. "See for yourself."

Opening her door and stepping outside, Kagome gaped. They were standing in front of The Looking Glass, one of the best and most expensive salon and beauty spas in Japan. "What the heck are we doing here?"

"My mom owns the place," Inuyasha answered nonchalantly. "I'm going to get a facial."

Kagome's eyes slanted. "_You_ get facials?"

"Of course not. Duh." Inuyasha rolled his eyes. "_You're_ the one who's going to get a facial and loads more of other treatments." He pointed at her.

"WHAT?!" Kagome's jaw dropped and she froze on the spot. "ME?!"

"It's our deal remember?" Inuyasha smirked, enjoying Kagome's horrified expression. "You're supposed to do me a favor." He dragged her to the entrance as Toutousai and Myouga, the driver, looked on from inside the SUV.

"Ah, Inuyasha-sama, how nice to see you again." A lady with long hair tied with a large striped ribbon bowed at the door. "How may I be of service?"

"Hi Kaguya," Inuyasha acknowledged. "Hey, I need you to give this girl the works." He shoved Kagome forward.

"Of course." Kaguya bowed again. She examined Kagome, who took a step backward. "Looks like we've got lots of work to do here."

"What are you trying to pull here, Takahashi?" Kagome demanded, turning to him. Not even in her wildest dreams did she see this coming. "This was not the favor I had in mind!"

Inuyasha chose not to answer the question. "I'll see you in a couple of hours, Higurashi," he said, waving at her before heading for the exit.

Kagome was about to go after him when she realized that the staff was dragging her into one of the rooms of the spa/salon. "Let me go! Takahashi—!"

* * *

"The operation going along as planned, huh? That's good." Miroku smiled. He was talking to somebody on his cell phone. "Oh, you're going to get her now? I see... Tell me how everything goes later, okay? Good luck, my friend." He ended the call and walked towards the table where Sango was busy editing their research paper. 

"Who was that?" Sango asked as she looked up from her laptop.

"Inuyasha," Miroku answered. "Why?"

Sango's eyes narrowed. "I could have sworn you were talking about Kagome. You and Inuyasha are not planning to bully her, are you? Because if you are…" Sango started cracking her knuckles.

Miroku gulped and waved his hands placatingly. "Of course not, Sango-chan! Why would nice boys like us do that? We were actually talking about Inuyasha's cousin, K-Kotone. You must have heard wrong."

"Nice boys, my butt." Sango shot him a dry look. "You better make sure of that, Kanzaki… Or else." Leaving that threat hanging, she turned her attention back to their research.

At the background, Miroku sighed with relief. That was close.

Violent martial arts girls are scary…especially if the girl you and your best friend were scheming against happened to be that violent girl's best friend.

* * *

"Yeah, I'll tell you later. See you around, Miroku." Inuyasha ended the call and stepped out from his black Porsche. 

It had been more than four hours since he had dropped Kagome off at The Looking Glass. He had ordered Toutousai and Myouga to handle Kagome when they dropped him off at Tetsusaiga Corporation for his weekly practicum on business administration, which was his father's idea to train him since he was an heir to the family businesses.

"Is she done?" Inuyasha asked as he barged through the glass doors of The Looking Glass.

"Almost, Inuyasha-sama," Myouga answered, bowing. "Kaguya is just fixing her dress a little."

"And jijii?"

"He went to the dressing room to bring Kagome-san her shoes."

Inuyasha looked at his watch. If Kikyo was to judge by, it was probably going to take a while for them to finish fixing Kagome. He sat on one of the sofas near the salon windows and started browsing through the pile of fashion magazines laid neatly on the table.

After a few minutes, he came upon a picture of Miroku's current girlfriend modeling lingerie. _"Wonder why Miroku's fan club still chase after him,"_ Inuyasha thought amusedly. _"Hardly any of them measure up to his tastes anyway. Oh well, it doesn't hurt to hope…"_

"Inuyasha-sama, Kagome-san is here," Myouga announced.

"Good." Inuyasha looked up from the magazine he was reading. His mouth hung open when he saw a beautiful raven-haired girl heading his direction wearing an exquisite sky blue dress that hugged her curves. The dress was knee-length and sleeveless with faint prints of sakura branches, perfectly matching her sky blue sandals. Her shiny black hair was tied back by a silver clip.

This gorgeous girl was Kagome Higurashi? If Miroku ever chanced to see her on the street, Inuyasha was perfectly sure his best friend would not pass the opportunity to ask her out on a date. _"I certainly wouldn't let the opportunity pass,"_ Inuyasha thought before he slapped himself mentally. Where in the seven hells did that thought come from? This was Higurashi he was talking about…

Inuyasha could have sworn Kagome was Kikyo's twin if it were not for the color of her eyes. It was the first time Inuyasha was seeing her without the large thick glasses. Unlike Kikyo's gray ones, Kagome's orbs were blue. A very beautiful shade of blue.

"Well, Inuyasha-sama," Myouga said as he noticed a blush rising on his master's cheeks. "Isn't Kagome-san just lovely?"

* * *

**A/N:** Aw, Inuyasha blushed. How cute. 

Okay, so Inuyasha really is an asshole for blackmailing/bribing Kagome. But don't worry. He'll have redeeming characteristics on the later chapters so some of you won't hate him so much. But right now, he'll be _:ahem:_ a big (scheming) jerk. Oh, and they won't be falling in love with each other. Not yet.

Oh, the show Inu was watching was Mr. Bean. I dunno. That was the first funny show that came to my mind.

"Ofudas" are the strips of paper Miroku uses in the series that has some written incantation. They are also used by Rei Hino on Sailor Moon. As far as I know, these strips of paper are used to ward off evil spirits/entities.

If you're wondering how Inuyasha got his Porsche on the last part, Myouga and Toutousai dropped him off at Tetsusaiga Corporation. On his way back, Inu used one of his cars parked at the company to get back.

Was the chapter good or bad? Did it suck big time? Tell me what you think.


	8. Escargot at the Blue Sakura

Hello! First of all, I would like to thank all everyone for their lovely reviews and suggestions! You guys are awesome! _:hands reviewers Inuyasha plushies and Oreos:_ Arigato gozaimashita, minna-san! Thank you very very much!

**Disclaimer:** Inuyasha does not belong to me. It belongs to the talented Rumiko Takahashi.

**The Substitute  
****Chapter 8  
****_Escargot at the Blue Sakura_**

"Well, what do you think, Kagome-san?" Kaguya asked proudly as Kagome stared at her reflection on a full-length mirror. "Who would have though that somebody like you could be so beautiful?"

Kagome was too stunned to reply. This gorgeous lady she was looking at the mirror was her? She had to pinch herself to make sure she was not dreaming. It was amazing how a dash of makeup, a simple change in wardrobe, and a slight change in hairstyle could turn an ugly duckling like her into a beautiful swan.

Kagome twirled around, admiring her elegant sky blue dress. The last time she remembered wearing one was during fifth grade. Later on, she opted to wearing pants and shirts, since she found them more comfortable to wear. She had never bothered wearing makeup before or styling her hair besides her signature braids. Kagome did not find herself attractive, even if her mother and grandpa kept telling her she was the prettiest girl in Tokyo, so she never bothered much with her appearance. She knew many considered her to be a geek. But she would rather be a smart and nice geek rather than a good-looking but obnoxious airhead, such as Inuyasha for example. Wait, did she say good-looking? Inuyasha was just an obnoxious airhead. Period.

"Let's go, Kagome," Kaguya said, cutting her thoughts. "Inuyasha-sama is already waiting at the lobby."

Kagome suddenly blanched and had this sudden desire to be sucked into a black hole. "Inuyasha? L-lobby?" She stammered. She looked down at the dress she was wearing. Why did she have this weird feeling that everyone was going to stare at her the minute she entered the lobby? Kagome definitely did not like to draw too much attention to herself.

_"This is going to be so embarrassing,"_ Kagome thought, fidgeting with her dress uncomfortably as Kaguya led her to the lobby of The Looking Glass. _"I hope you get struck by lightning, Takahashi!"_

"Please don't do that, Kagome-san," Kaguya whispered, eyeing her disapprovingly. "It's not a pleasant sight if you keep fiddling with your dress."

"Hai," Kagome obliged. If it was one thing she learned after being with Kaguya for more than four hours, it was to never go against what the beautician said. Looking at the floor, she focused on balancing in the shoes she wore. She was wearing sandals with high heels. And since she had never worn heels before, tripping was something to be worried about.

"Please don't slouch," Kaguya berated. "You are beautiful Kagome-san. Please look confident and poised."

Kagome straightened up, but continued looking at the floor. As she had thought, she could feel all eyes in The Looking Glass staring at her. She felt self-conscious and awkward. At that moment, she wanted nothing more than the ground to swallow her up.

_"Damn that Takahashi!"_ Kagome fumed mentally. _"This makeover is probably that obnoxious jerk's way of humiliating me. Oh, he will pay. Dearly._ _When I get my hands on him, he'll wish he'd never been born!"_

"And please look straight ahead," Kaguya went on. "And don't frown. Smile."

"Hai," Kagome repeated monotonously. Taking a deep breath, she pushed her dark thoughts against Inuyasha to the back of her mind. _"Okay, now Kagome smile."_ She ordered herself.

Forcing her mouth to contort into a believable smile, she looked up. As she did, her eyes fell on the person she was just dying to kill: Inuyasha Takahashi. He was looking at her intently, mouth hanging open and a faint blush on his cheeks. Kagome's smile disappeared and she quickly looked away. Why was he looking at her like that? Kagome felt her face grow red.

"Darn it! Why am I blushing?" She thought furiously. Why did she seem flustered by his intense gaze? Well, for one thing, no boy ever looked at her that way before. _"Stop it Kagome! You will not blush! You will stare him down. He's an obnoxious moron. He blackmailed you. He—"_

"Kagome?" She heard Inuyasha say. Surprised that he had called her by her first name, and not butt-ugly, bitch, or wench, she turned and looked at him.

Then their eyes met. Time suddenly seemed to stop before…

Kagome tripped and fell flat on her face.

* * *

"Finally!" Sango exclaimed, raising her hands in the air. Her hands were aching after typing their research draft for hours. 

"The draft research paper's finished huh?" Miroku asked knowingly. He walked over to her and attached a cable to her laptop, connecting it to the library computer. "Good job, Sango-chan."

Sango rolled her eyes, resting her chin on the palm of her hand. "I think it should just be _my_ research paper. You didn't do anything at all, Kanzaki."

"Hey, I helped gather the information," Miroku protested. He clicked on the print icon, and the document started printing via the library printer. "You were the one who told me you'd do all the typing since you said I was slower than a snail."

"That is _so_ true," Sango grinned, amused. "You don't even memorize the keyboard. It took you two minutes to type 'Sengoku Jidai'. By the time you finish typing the whole draft, it'll already be Christmas."

Miroku pretended to pout. "You're mean, Sango-chan. It's not my fault I take a long time finding the letters on the keyboard." He beamed when Sango laughed. "It's good you know how to joke around. I thought you were always serious and violent, Sango-chan."

Sango instantly stopped laughing. _"Darn it."_ She felt like banging her head against a wall. _"Why do I have to feel comfortable with him? I shouldn't be! At this rate I'll really be falling for hi—"_ She suddenly popped a vein. Wait a minute. Serious _and violent_? Okay, Miroku will be seeing the Martian landscape after she was through punching him…

She snapped out of her reverie when she noticed Miroku placing the palm of his hand on her forehead. "You okay, Sango-chan?" He asked.

Sango's eyes widened. "What are you doing?" She gasped, impulsively pushing him away.

"Nothing," Miroku shook his head, smiling sheepishly. "You stopped laughing all of a sudden so I though—"

Before he could finish, somebody suddenly barged into the library. "Miro-chan!" A female voice wailed.

Sango looked up to see the Miroku's lingerie model girlfriend prancing towards them. _"Oh great."_ Sango felt a headache coming along and she was not sure if it was because of hunger or Miroku's girlfriend's shrill voice that reminded her of nails scratching a blackboard. _"I really need aspirin…"_

Miroku, who was still facing Sango, blew at his bangs wearily. "Ah, Miyu," he greeted, turning around and giving the model a saccharine smile. "What are you doing here? I though you already went home."

Miyu pouted, twirling a lock of her wavy brown hair on her index finger. "I was waiting for you. You didn't have lunch yet and it's already two in the afternoon." She looked over his shoulder to see Sango massaging her temples. "Who's she?"

"Miyu, meet Sango Miyabe," Miroku introduced. Turning to Sango, he said, "Sango, this is Miyu Kayama. I think you have seen her in magazines before."

Sango, being trained to be polite, stood up and extended her hand. "Nice to meet you, Kayama-san." Sango did not miss the part where Miroku removed the '-chan' from her name._ "Get a grip, Sango!"_ She told herself. _"You told him never to call you Sango-chan in the first place."_

Miyu looked at Sango's extended hand and eyed it warily for a second. "The pleasure's all mine," the model smiled sweetly, shaking Sango's hand while her free hand latched onto Miroku's arm as if to say, "Back off. He's mine."

Sango maintained her smile as she turned her attention back to her laptop. It had finished printing already. "I guess I ought to be leaving," she said, closing their research draft document.

"Miyu, sweetie, will you run down to the chef and tell him to serve lunch?" Miroku turned to his girlfriend and gave her a charming smile he knew she could not resist. "And tell him to serve plenty of escargot."

"Aren't you going down yourself?" Miyu inquired, a little suspicious. "Your business with her is finished, right?"

"Almost sweetie. I still have to arrange the pages of our research draft. I'll be down in a minute, okay?"

Miyu grinned. "Okay, baby, I'll tell the chef." She gave him a quick peck on the lips before bounding out of the library and into the kitchens.

In the background, Sango rolled her eyes as she turned her laptop off. If she got exposed to more of this lovey-dovey sweetness between the biggest playboy in Shikon Gakuen and the lingerie model, she was sure she was going to puke.

Miroku sighed with relief as he watched his girlfriend disappear down the mansion corridor. "Well, let's go, Sango-chan." He turned to her.

Sango blinked as she shut her laptop and removed the cables at the back. "What?" She looked at him blankly.

"We're having lunch," Miroku answered simply. "Or aren't you hungry?"

"I think I'll have lunch at home," Sango replied wryly as she took her laptop. "I might disturb you lovebirds, you know." The last thing she wanted to do was eat at the Kanzaki residence with Miroku and Miyu. Geez, with all the sweetness the couple was showing, she wouldn't be surprised if they got swarmed by ants…

"You're not jealous, are you?" Miroku inquired, smiling.

"Please." Sango snorted, itching to hit him with her laptop. "If you weren't such a playboy, then maybe I would be."

Miroku was silent for a moment. "What in the world does that mean?"

Before Sango could answer, Miyu's voice rang through the corridor, calling for her 'Miro-chan'. How she was able to tell the chef and come back in a matter of minutes was a complete mystery, since the library and the kitchen were almost at opposite ends of the mansion.

"Man, she is fast," Miroku mumbled. Taking Sango's free hand, he pulled her deeper into the library.

"What are you doing, Kanzaki?" Sango demanded, blushing. She was very aware of him holding her hand. "Where are you taking me?"

"I'm treating you to lunch," Miroku replied, tightening his grip on her hand when she tried to pull it away. A second later, they reached another door at the back of the library.

* * *

Inuyasha blinked. And blinked again. 

The cogs on his head started turning again and what he did earlier hit him like a Mack truck. _"What the crap was I thinking?"_ Inuyasha kicked himself mentally. "_What the hell came over me?_ His attention was drawn to somebody muttering on the floor a few feet away from him. Kagome Higurashi.

Shaking his head to clear his thoughts, he signaled Toutousai, Myouga and Kaguya, who were about to help Kagome, to leave the fallen girl alone. He headed over and extended his hand to help her up himself. "You're so clumsy, you know that?"

Kagome looked up and gave him an icy glare enough to freeze even liquid nitrogen. "I can get up by myself. Thanks," she replied curtly, trying to hide the blush that came from the embarrassment of tripping a second ago. Picking herself up, she dusted her dress. "Stupid high heels."

Inuyasha scowled and withdrew his hand. _"She is so uncute,"_ he thought, jamming his hands on his pockets. _"I can't believe I was gawking and blushing at the sight of her earlier. That will not happen again, I swear… Well, Kaguya certainly did a good job on her appearance. She is beautiful—" _Wait, did he just admit his mortal enemy was attractive? What was wrong with him? Maybe a side effect of not having lunch yet. _"But she's nowhere near as nice or as poised or as elegant as Kikyo. Clumsy little wench..."_

"Take me home," Kagome suddenly demanded, marching over to him.

"Let me think." Inuyasha eyed her lazily. "No."

"And why not?" Kagome snapped, throwing all elegance and lady-like poise Kaguya had lectured her earlier out the window. "I already did your stupid favor. Take me home, Takahashi. Now."

"What makes you think this was the favor I wanted you to do?" Inuyasha smirked, looking amused. "If you think about it, _I'm_ the one who did you a favor for giving you a free makeover."

Kagome gaped at him. "This was not the favor?" She looked annoyed. "Then what is this all about? One of your schemes to humiliate me?"

"How should I know you didn't know how to walk on high heels?"

Kagome's eye twitched. "Oh, now it's _my_ fault I tripped!" She poked him in the chest with her index finger. "You were the one who brought me here to give me a makeover without telling me in the first place, you jerk!"

"Shut up, bu—" Inuyasha retorted. "But—" Damn it, why can't he say 'butt-ugly'? This makeover had some unexpected drawbacks. Drawing from his list of insults, he quickly found a substitute. "Shut up, bitch!"

"Stop calling me that! I have a name you know!"

"Oh yeah? Bitch! Bitch! Bitch!"

World War III was about to erupt when Toutousai suddenly cleared his throat. "Inuyasha," he began, looking at his master, "aren't you forgetting the reason you came here to get her?"

Inuyasha, who was engaged in a serious staring contest with Kagome complete with sparks flying off from their eyes, quickly straightened himself up. If it weren't for Operation Make-Kikyo-Jealous, there was no way he would lose the staring contest on purpose…

"Let's go, Higurashi," Inuyasha muttered.

Kagome blinked. "Go where?" She inquired suspiciously. "Where are you _kidnapping_ me this time? Mount Fuji?"

"Ha ha. Very funny." Inuyasha's voice dripped with sarcasm. "No. I'm taking you out to lunch."

"I'm not hungry." Kagome replied stubbornly. "I want to go home."

"Like you can explain to your mom how you got a makeover while doing research in the library," Inuyasha snorted, crossing his arms on his chest. "And besides, I can hear your stomach growling from here."

Kagome's face turned beet red. "Shut up, Takahashi," she mumbled. Darn it, since when did Inuyasha start making sense? She forgot about her family and their reaction to her makeover. Kagome heard her stomach rumble again. Okay, so she _was_ hungry…

"I know you'd see it my way," Inuyasha smirked. He grabbed her arm and pulled her out of The Looking Glass and into his parked Porsche.

"Please slow down, will you?" Kagome exclaimed, trying to keep up with his pace while trying not to trip again. "I'm wearing heels, you know."

Inuyasha, not looking at her, sighed before slowing down.

"Thank you," Kagome said gratefully. She was pleasantly surprised that Inuyasha had even listened to her request. "So where are we eating, Takahashi? WacDonald's?"

They had already reached his car. Inuyasha did not respond as he opened the passenger side door and motioned her inside. Kagome stood there for a second, surprised that he was being a gentleman. And Inuyasha was anything _but_ a gentleman. She was expecting the sky to fall any second now…

"Are you just going to stand there?" Inuyasha looked at her, a little impatient.

Kagome rolled her eyes and sat on the passenger seat. Inuyasha closed her door, walked over to his side and plopped on the driver's seat.

"We're eating at one of my favorite restaurants," he suddenly said as he eased the car out of the parking lot. "And it's definitely not WacDonald's."

* * *

Miroku pulled Sango to a corner and clapped a hand on her mouth. 

"Is Miroku-san around?" A female voice asked. Sango pried Miroku's hand from her mouth, elbowed him hard, and peeked from their hiding spot to see a girl with wavy auburn hair asking Miroku's head butler.

"Miroku-sama is currently not around," the butler replied politely. "He has gone off to lunch at some restaurant, I'm afraid."

"I see," the girl looked disappointed. "Well, when he comes back, please tell him to call me." She bowed slightly and left.

"Thanks, Hachie!" Miroku emerged from their hiding spot and gave the butler a thumbs up. He then pulled Sango on direction opposite of what the auburn haired girl took.

"Who was that?" Sango asked, trying to ignore Miroku's hand on her's. "And why did Hachie-san tell her that you had gone to a restaurant?"

"Aya Mizuno, my ex," Miroku answered nonchalantly, opening a door that led to the garage. "Escargot is the password I use to tell my staff that I'm leaving the house without telling my girlfriend."

Sango's eyes widened. "Aya Mizuno? The famous young ballerina?" Her eyes slanted. "I can't believe it! Your ex? When did you break up with her?"

"Three days ago."

"And when did Miyu-san become your girlfriend?"

Miroku gave a sheepish grin. "Um, four days ago."

"You're incredible, Kanzaki!" Sango exclaimed, pulling her hand free. "You already have another girlfriend when you still have a relationship with a girl! Did it ever occur to you that some of these girls might get hurt?"

"They know I'm a playboy, Sango-chan," Miroku explained patiently. "I don't force them to become my girlfriends. They already know I don't intend to keep a relationship longer than two or three weeks."

Sango tried to hide the sadness in her voice. "Am I next on your list?"

Miroku sighed. "No." He opened the passenger door of his silver BMW and waited for Sango to enter. "Your father would kill me. Now please Sango-chan, your father will be livid if he finds out you did not have lunch while in my company."

Sango entered hesitantly. They drove in complete silence for a few minutes before she decided to speak up. "Where are we eating anyway, Kanzaki?"

Miroku smiled. "The Blue Sakura. It's just a fifteen minute drive from my house."

* * *

"Here's the deal," Inuyasha leaned over and eyed Kagome intently as a waiter brought them their drinks. They were at the Blue Sakura, sitting at a table by the window. "I want you to help me with something." 

Kagome nervously sipped her iced tea, fidgeting with the straw. There was something in those amethyst eyes that she did not like. "What is it?"

Tons of speculations ran through her mind. Maybe his favor would be for her to do his homework until college? Or maybe do his chores at home, which Kagome highly doubted, since he was filthy rich. Or maybe the favor was for her to walk on high heels forever? Or worse. What if Inuyasha asked her to become his personal slave…for eternity? _"Oh kami-sama(), I hope not!"_ Kagome prayed vehemently. _"No! No! No!"_

"Hey, are you listening?" Inuyasha looked at her sourly.

Kagome blinked. "Um, what were you saying again?" She sipped her iced tea to keep herself from hyperventilating.

Inuyasha sighed impatiently. "I said I want you to be my girlfriend."

Kagome sprayed her iced tea right on Inuyasha's face. "WHAT?!"

Inuyasha blinked slowly, the iced tea from his face dripping to his red dress shirt. "What the fuck was that for?"

If this were any other day, Kagome would have laughed right at his face. But considering how surreal the situation was, Kagome decided to apologize. "Gomen nasai()," she said, impulsively reaching for the napkin on her side of the table. She then leaned over to his side to wipe his face. "I thought you said you wanted me to be your girlfriend."

Inuyasha snorted as he tried to fight a blush rising when Kagome started wiping his left cheek. "I'd rather drop dead than let that happen," he mumbled, trying to avoid her napkin as he reached for his own napkin on the table. "I want you to _pretend_ to be my girlfriend. Geez woman, are you deaf as well as clumsy?"

Kagome was about throttle him for his latest insult when she stopped short. "Pretend to be your girlfriend?" She arched her brows, lowering the napkin. "Don't you already have Kik—" Kagome's eyes suddenly widened with realization. So that was why he was so touchy whenever she mentioned Kikyo's name! "You broke up with her!"

"No," he growled. "She broke up with—" He caught himself in time. Leaning over to her so their faces were inches apart, he narrowed his purple eyes. "That's none of your business, wench," he snapped quietly. "If I didn't need you for this favor, you would be in so much trouble." With that, he grabbed his napkin and stomped over to the men's bathroom.

"What a jerk." Kagome scowled, easing back to her seat. "And to think I even apologized and wiped some of the iced tea off his face when he never…" Kagome suddenly turned scarlet. _"I did what?"_ Kagome stared at her right hand like it had some cursed black hole in it before slapping her forehead. _"What was I thinking? Wait, I wasn't thinking. I should have just punched him into oblivion instead!"_

She did not notice a perverted playboy and violent martial arts girl step outside the newly parked silver BMW in front of her window and enter the Blue Sakura.

* * *

Sango excused herself and headed to the bathroom, leaving Miroku alone at their table by the window. Stirring around the ice in his glass of soda while waiting for their food to arrive, his gaze wandered to a girl two tables away, quietly sipping her drink. 

She had sparkling sapphire eyes, fair skin and midnight black hair. In other words, she was completely gorgeous. A smile spread on Miroku's lips. He stood up, straightened his buttoned shirt and headed over to her.

"I couldn't help but notice a beautiful girl like you sitting here all alone. May I join you?"

Kagome was about to turn the person down, but when she looked up, her eyes nearly fell out of their sockets and she chocked on her drink. Miroku Kanzaki? And he did not even recognize her…amazing.

Not waiting for an answer, Miroku slid to the seat occupied by Inuyasha a few minutes before. "I'm Miroku Kanzaki, by the way," he grinned.

Kagome had the urge to laugh hysterically. Here she was, seeing the infamous playboy in action. _"Wait 'til Sango hears about this,"_ Kagome thought amusedly. "Yes, I know," she replied, biting her lower lip to keep herself from laughing.

"I see that you already know me," Miroku maintained his smile. Kagome had to admit he was good. He could charm his way into anything if he wanted to. "Who told you about me?"

"We've already met," Kagome answered, stirring her drink with her straw. "In fact, we go to the same school. And we've met each other at a ramen restaurant not too long ago." She was already giving him so many hints she wondered how he could not recognize her.

"Really now? I'm sure I wouldn't miss a goddess such as you in Shikon Gakuen or anywhere else, for that matter. May I know your name?"

Kagome sipped her iced tea to keep herself from laughing. "Why?" She asked evenly. "Don't you recognize me, Miroku?"

Miroku looked thoughtful. "You look a little like the ex-girlfriend of my best friend," he rubbed his chin. "Are you related to Kikyo Sanada, by any chance?"

"No." Kagome shook her head. Hearing that information from Miroku made her feel a pang of pity for Inuyasha. "She's far too beautiful and elegant."

"Like you aren't. I think you're prettier than her, in fact."

"I bet you say that to every girl you meet," Kagome responded with a smile, cocking a brow. Oh, if Sango was only here to see this. "Haven't you heard of the saying that flattery gets you nowhere? And don't you already have a girlfriend?"

"You're witty. I like that in a girl," Miroku grinned. Much to Kagome's surprise, he suddenly got on one knee and clasped her hand tightly. "Girl of my dreams," Miroku looked deep into her eyes, making Kagome sweat-drop. "Will you bear my child?"

BAM!

Kagome looked up to see Sango surrounded with menacing flames, hunched over Miroku, who had a smoking bump on the head. "Really! I was gone for like five minutes and you're already chasing another girl! Have you no conscience?" Turning to Kagome, Sango smiled apologetically. "You have to excuse my _acquaintance_, miss. He acts like this when he has too much escargot."

Miroku pouted cutely. "You're not jealous, are you, Sango-chan?"

Sango popped a vein. "I'm not, you pervert!" She bopped him in the head. "Somebody just has to set you straight, you _immoral_ playboy!"

At the background, Kagome giggled quietly. Even her best friend did not recognize her. Looking at the two, she could not help smiling. She had to admit, they looked cute together.

"What the hell is going on here?" Inuyasha cleared his throat. He was slinging his red polo over his shoulder, revealing the loose white shirt he wore underneath it.

"Inuyasha?" Miroku's brows shot up.

"Miroku?" Inuyasha frowned. "What are you doing here? Escargot again?"

"Then that must mean…" Miroku turned to look at Kagome, who was watching the three quietly. His jaw dropped as realization dawned on him. "This is Kagome? Wow! Kaguya did a good job!" He gave Kagome a once-over as he whistled with amazement.

"Will somebody tell me what's going on here?" Sango sounded exasperated. "And why are you calling her Kagome?" Her eyes suddenly widened with realization. She stared at Kagome blankly for a few seconds, taking in her best friend's new appearance before finally snapping out of her trance. "So this was the scheme you guys were plotting against her! Kotone, my butt!" Sango snarled, giving Miroku the glare of death. "Are you okay, Kagome? Did they hurt you?" She asked worriedly, rushing to her side.

Kagome stood up and nodded. "Don't worry, Sango." She tried to assure her best friend who looked murderous. "I was just given a makeover, that's all." She decided to casually skip the part that Inuyasha blackmailed her…the situation was already volatile as it was.

Inuyasha rolled his eyes and grabbed Kagome's arm. "We're eating somewhere else." He dug into his pocket and extracted a couple of bills. "They can keep the change."

"And where are you taking her?" Sango demanded, grabbing Kagome's other arm. "What's going on here?"

Before the two could start a tug-of-war, with Kagome as the rope, she pulled her arm free from Inuyasha's grasp and clasped Sango's hands. "Me and Inuyasha still have some things to talk about," Kagome told her. "Please trust me, Sango. I will tell you everything when I get home. Promise."

Sango eyed Inuyasha warily before sighing. "Fine. I hope you know what you're doing, Kagome." She squeezed Kagome's hand. "If he does anything disagreeable, tell me, okay?"

Kagome sweat-dropped. Almost everything Inuyasha did was disagreeable. "Okay," she agreed, resisting the urge to tell Sango to just knock the living daylights out of Inuyasha for being a blackmailing jerk. "I'll call you tonight. Promise." She then followed Inuyasha out of the Blue Sakura.

"You have an overprotective best friend," Inuyasha voiced out all of a sudden as they headed towards his car.

Kagome looked at him, surprised he was starting a conversation. "I know. I'd do the same for her if she was in my position." Kagome's lips quirked into a grin. "You on the other hand have a perverted player for a best friend. I hope he doesn't do anything to Sango in there."

"I'd be more worried about what Sango would do to Miroku," Inuyasha replied.

Kagome laughed, her blue eyes shining with amusement. "He'll live."

Inuyasha stared at her for a moment before looking away. _"Why did she have to look so much like Kikyo?" _He pouted, feeling his cheeks turn pink as Kagome's laughter rang in his ears.

* * *

"Did you just saw what I saw?" Yura frowned as she and Abi watched the black Porsche drive away. "Do you know who the girl Inuyasha's with?" 

Abi shook her head as she balanced her shopping bags. "It isn't Kikyo, that's for sure."

"She must be the reason why Kikyo is acting weird lately," Yura assumed. She dug for her cell phone in her pocket and started dialing her friend's number. "I'm getting to the bottom of this." She tapped a foot impatiently as she waited for her friend to answer her phone. "Hello, Kikyo?"

"Hi Yura," Kikyo's quietly greeted back. "Anything I can do for you?"

"You and Inuyasha are no longer a couple, am I right?" Yura inquired forcefully.

Kikyo did not reply.

"I'm guessing that's a yes," Yura continued. "Me and Abi just saw him with another girl."

"You did?" She asked, sounding a little surprised. That was quite something since Kikyo barely let any emotion slip when she spoke.

"Hai. He broke up with you, didn't he?"

Kikyo was silent for a moment. "Hai… He told me another girl stole his heart."

* * *

**A/N:** I finally finished it! _:throws confetti around and then goes off to play Ragnarok:_

Dum dum dum… Why did Kikyo lie? How many times will Inuyasha blush? How many times will Kagome trip in her high heels? How many girlfriends does Miroku have, really? Will Sango be one of them? What will Yura, Abi and Kikyo do? Will the scheme to make Kikyo jealous work? When will I stop asking questions?

"Kami-sama" means "god" in Japanese. "Gomen/Gomen nasai" translates to "sorry."

This chapter was _soooo_ hard to write. _:bangs head on computer table:_ Anyway, what do you think? Was it good or bad? Tell me what you think.


	9. Unwanted Attention

Hello! ^^ I would like to thank all of my awesome reviewers for their reviews, suggestions, comments, etc. THANK YOU! ^^ You guys make me so happy! *goes teary-eyed*

Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha. It belongs to Rumiko Takahashi.

**The Substitute **

**Unwanted Attention**

The silver Aston Martin grinded to a halt at the Shikon Kokusai Gakuen parking lot. "Are you ready?" Inuyasha looked at his passenger as he turned the engine off.

Kagome gulped. "Do we have to? Can't we do it tomorrow?"

"No." Inuyasha replied flatly. "Geez, woman, you look like you're about to face a firing squad. We're just going to pretend to be a couple, for crying out loud." The way he said this sounded like he was talking about something as mundane as the weather.

Kagome scowled at him. "Well, excuse me, Takahashi. I don't usually spend my time coming up with schemes to make my ex jealous to get her back."

She took deep breaths to keep herself from hyperventilating. Kikyo was nice, smart, talented and popular. How would the student body react when she was seen being all lovey-dovey (Kagome suppressed the urge to retch) with Inuyasha? She crossed her fingers and prayed to all the saints that the students would not turn into an angry mob and run her out of Shikon Gakuen while she pretended to be Inuyasha's girlfriend.

"Are you finished?" Inuyasha cut in, arms crossed in his chest. "We only have ten minutes before the bell rings, you know."

Kagome sent him a glare that promised excruciating pain later. "Fine."

Inuyasha stepped out of the car and went over to her side and opened her door. "Let's go, Kagome _honey_." He forced a smile through barred teeth as he held out his hand. The things he had to do to get his ex-girlfriend back…

Kagome stared at his hand for a second before taking it. "Okay, Inuyasha _darling_," Kagome responded, smiling through clenched teeth.

"Remember the drill, okay?" Inuyasha whispered. They walked over to the school building where other students filed for their classes.

"Yes, _darling_," Kagome replied, showing more of her shiny white teeth. When this day was over, Kagome reminded herself to wash her mouth with soap.

They had purposely decided to take the path near the school entrance to attract the students' attention. As expected, all eyes were fixed on the two. At that moment, Kagome preferred jumping off a snake pit than be stared to death by the student body.

This was _definitely_ going to be a long day.

* * *

"Operation MKJ is going along as planned," Miroku smiled with satisfaction as he lowered his binoculars. He and Sango were at the school's rooftop, eyeing all the action from above.

Sango, who was intently eyeing Inuyasha and Kagome, looked at Miroku with slanted eyes. "Operation MKJ?"

"Operation Make-Kikyo-Jealous, Sango-chan," Miroku answered. He raised his binoculars again and whistled. "They're pretty good actors. You could have sworn that they really are a couple."

Sango leaned on the railing. "Well, blackmailing somebody is enough motivation to act good, don't you think?" She glared at Miroku. "I heard you were the brains of this whole idea, Kanzaki." Her voice dripped with enough venom to sink a tanker ship.

Miroku looked at her innocently. "I did, Sango-chan," he admitted, making Sango bristle in the background. "But it was not my idea to use Kagome. I even tried convincing Inuyasha to use somebody else but well…he was _stubborn_. Apparently, he and Kagome—"

"Hate each other's guts," Sango finished, sighing. "Yeah, I've noticed. I guess this is Inuyasha's way of getting back at her, from the stories Kagome told me about their _encounters_. That bastard, if he didn't have something to blackmail her with I swear I…"

Miroku patted her on the shoulder. "Inuyasha is not as bad as you think."

"You're his best friend so it's natural that you defend him," Sango rested her chin on the palm of her hand, her elbow resting on the railing. "I take that back. He's not bad, he is just the embodiment of pure evil." She watched as Miroku raised his binoculars to spy on the two again.

"Sometimes Sango-chan, people aren't always what they seem," he said sagely. Sango wondered whether he was truly wise beyond his years or he was quoting a saying from a fortune cookie. Miroku suddenly frowned. "Who in the world is that?"

"Where?" Sango suddenly perked up. Miroku held the binoculars to her, which she quickly snatched away. She aimed the binoculars at the direction Miroku pointed. "Toshizo-kun?!" Her jaw dropped.

* * *

Kagome stiffened when Inuyasha intertwined his hand with her's. But she quickly recovered, remembering "Miroku's Three Simple Rules to Make Your Ex-Girlfriend Jealous."

_Miroku's Rule Number One: Hold hands. You don't want to be mistaken as people who just happened to walk together. _

Kagome wanted to pull her hand back so badly, but the thought of her family with her mom not having a job kept her from doing so. That hand sanitizer in her bag would come in handy later…

"So any interesting stuff that happened yesterday?" Inuyasha spoke up, looking down on her.

_Miroku's Rule Number Two: Strike up a conversation. Appear as if you two are lost in your own world and having the time of your life._

Kagome took a deep breath to psyche herself up before looking up at him with a sunny smile masked on her face. "Yeah. Buyo got stuck in the well again and when we found him he was on his back, meowing pathetically," Kagome giggled. "He looked like a turtle lying on its shell."

Inuyasha looked amused. "You mean that tubby cat? Yeah, he could use some exercise. He has got to be the fattest cat I have ever sawed."

"Sawed?" Kagome furrowed her brows, still maintaining her smile. "Are you still watching Rugrats, Inuyasha Takahashi?"

"Maybe." Inuyasha winked at her. "It's a mentally stimulating cartoon."

"So that's why you act the way you are most of the time," Kagome eyed him slyly. "Moron," she mouthed wordlessly.

She noticed Inuyasha's amethyst eyes flash angrily for a second. "Whatever do you mean, _darling_?" He replied sweetly. "Bitch." He mouthed back.

"Nothing," Kagome smiled. She used her free hand to reach out and pinch his cheek. Hard. "You are just _so_ cute." Not. Her smiled widened when she noticed how red his cheek was after she pinched it.

"And you're just beautiful," Inuyasha responded, his voice dripping with honey. In retaliation, he squeezed her hand considerably tighter so that it began to hurt.

Kagome knew that every student was looking at them and completely thought without a doubt that she and Inuyasha was a couple. They should probably each win an Oscar right now for their impressive performance. Kagome knew that beneath the fake show of affection, both of them wanted nothing more than to go ahead and rip each other's guts out. That or get at least a mile away from the other and start gagging from the sweetness they were showering each other.

Kagome was trying to remember Miroku's third rule when she suddenly bumped into somebody. Papers and photographs flew in every direction.

"Watch where you're going, you clumsy idiot!" Inuyasha growled, holding a hand out on Kagome's back so she would not fall backwards from the collision. Kagome was quite thankful that almost the entire school was watching since she bet he would just let her fall otherwise.

"Sumimasen*!" A male voice quickly apologized.

Kagome straightened herself up. Before Inuyasha could bully the boy who had bumped into her, she raised a hand to silence Inuyasha up. The boy looked extremely familiar. "Hojo-kun?" Kagome voiced out.

The male student looked up. "Do I know you, miss?" He asked quizzically.

Kagome smiled and got on her knees. "It's me, Kagome," she answered, helping him stuff the remaining papers and pictures into his bag. "You're still into photography, I see."

Hojo's eyes widened. "Higurashi-san?" He looked completely shocked and his cheeks turned crimson. "You look different. I never recognized you!"

Kagome stood up, as did Hojo, who had stuffed all his things back in his bag. "What are you doing here?" Kagome asked, dusting her skirt. "Didn't you go to another high school?"

"I just transferred two weeks ago," Hojo responded, beaming. "I plan to join Shikon Gakuen's Photography Club and I was just—"

Inuyasha cleared his throat behind Kagome. "Is there something I should know?"

Kagome eyed him crossly for a moment before she caught herself and forced her mouth to contort into a smile. "Inuyasha, this is Hojo Toshizo, an old classmate," Kagome began the introductions. "Hojo-kun this is Inuyasha Taka—"

Before she could finish, Inuyasha suddenly pulled her towards the school building. "Let's go, Kagome _sweetheart_," he grinded out. "It's almost time for class."

Kagome wanted to give him a piece of her mind for rudely interrupting, but she bit her tongue. Damn that stupid blackmail. "I'll see you around then, Hojo-kun!" Kagome waved cheerfully as she and Inuyasha disappeared into the school building.

One of the many male students who had crowded around to stare at the "couple" stepped up to Hojo. "Do you know her?"

Hojo nodded, a blush still noticeable on his face. "She was my classmate in seventh grade."

All of the guys crowded around Hojo to get more information about Inuyasha's new "girlfriend" while the female students filed towards class, either admiring Kagome's beauty and wondering what happened between Inuyasha and Kikyo.

* * *

Kikyo Sanada clenched her hand resting on the windowpane as she watched the scene unfolding at the walkway that led to the school building. She was in the school's empty music room, which had a great view of the pathway.

Her gray eyes narrowed slightly when she saw the girl Inuyasha was with reach out and pinch him on the cheek. What was this thing she was feeling? Jealousy? Envy? Regret? Maybe all of those.

She shook her head. She should not be feeling like this. When she broke up with him, she was perfectly sure she would have no regrets. He was after all, a half-breed, a hanyou…even lower than a youkai… But when Yura told her Inuyasha was seeing another girl and when she watched the scene unfolding below, her heart ached. She had never expected him to find a replacement for her so soon…

"She is such a bitch, isn't she?" Kikyo heard somebody say. She turned around to see Abi and Yura on the doorway of the music room.

Kikyo did not reply as she watched Inuyasha drag the girl inside the school building. She had to admit, a little grudgingly, that Inuyasha's new girlfriend was nowhere near homely.

"Don't worry, Kikyo," Abi said soothingly, walking up to her. "We'll teach her a lesson for stealing somebody else's boyfriend."

Yura nodded. "Students will hate her after they find out she stole Inuyasha from you. Just wait and see."

Kikyo looked at them for a moment, poker-faced. She then walked passed her friends towards the door. "Classes are about to start. Let's go."

At that moment, the bell rang.

* * *

Shikon Gakuen's cafeteria was crowded with a sea of blue uniforms bustling with their noontime business.

"Ah, isn't it great the four of us are having lunch together?" Miroku chimed. He and Sango were sitting opposite Inuyasha on a large table in the cafeteria.

"Speak for yourself, Kanzaki," Sango's eyes slanted. "I only came here since I always have lunch with Kagome." She focused her attention back at the English homework due for their cram school later.

"You wound me, Sango-chan," Miroku looked at her with puppy dog eyes. "I thought you'd be happy to spend lunch with your crus—"

Before he could finish, Sango suddenly stuffed the wad of crumpled homework right into Miroku's mouth. "Shut your pie hole, Kanzaki," she snapped, her face making a perfect imitation of a tomato. "That was months ago, okay? You're NOT my…" She stopped and looked at Miroku with slanted eyes. He was apparently waiting for her to say the word. Sango rolled her eyes. "You're not my you-know-what anymore, Kanzaki. Now shut up." Miroku "mmph-ed" in reply.

From the opposite side of the table, Inuyasha ignored the two as he drummed his fingers impatiently. "Where is she?"

Miroku pulled the paper out of his mouth while Sango let out a long-suffering sigh and pulled out a clean sheet of paper to begin her homework again, all the while muttering something about throwing perverted playboys off a sharp cliff.

"Calm down, my friend," Miroku said placatingly. "Kagome was just gone for five minutes. You know how long the lines in those vending machines are at lunchtime."

Inuyasha frowned. "I could have gone instead." He knew that the crowd in the vending machines would part like the Red Sea if he had gone to get the drinks himself. But then again, considering everyone in school now thought she was his girlfriend, she would most likely receive the same treatment.

"It's a little weird she volunteered though," Sango suddenly voiced out, not looking up from her homework. "Kagome usually doesn't like going to get drinks from the vending machines because of the crowd."

"She didn't volunteer," Inuyasha corrected. "She insisted."

* * *

Kagome sighed with relief as she headed over to the vending machines. On any other occasion, she would have just contented herself with water but she wanted to get away from Inuyasha. She definitely did not like pretending, more so pretending to be somebody's girlfriend, especially if she and that somebody are not exactly in good terms with each other. She had also noticed some of the girls were giving her dirty glares as she and Inuyasha headed off to lunch. She liked to spare herself from their glares by disappearing into the crowd at the vending machines even for just a few minutes.

As she reached the vending machines, a murmur passed through the crowd and they quickly parted, much to Kagome's surprise, giving her quick access to the drinks at the machine. Kagome blinked owlishly for a second before hesitantly walking towards the vending machine. She could feel all eyes on her. Just as she was a few feet away, somebody extended his foot, making Kagome trip and fall forward.

_"Just great,"_ Kagome thought, closing her eyes and bracing for impact. _"Somebody just has to trip me and embarrass me in public again. My poor nose…"_

But she never made contact with the ground. Kagome opened her eyes and found that somebody had caught her. His arm was on her waist, preventing her from falling face-first to the floor.

Kagome looked over her shoulder, trying to find the person who tripped her. She noticed Yura among the crowd, glaring at her angrily before making her way out of the students by the vending machine and back into the buzzing cafeteria tables. Well, Kikyo's friends certainly were not very pleased she was Inuyasha's new "girlfriend"…

"Are you okay?" The boy asked. He had long raven hair tied into a loose braid and what looked like a cross-shaped scar on his forehead.

"Arigato gozaimasu," she said hastily, bowing gratefully.

"It's nothing, really," the boy looked a little embarrassed.

Kagome beamed at him. "I could have fallen flat on my face, if you didn't."

I'm Bankotsu Harada, by the way." The boy introduced, grinning. "Captain of Shikon Gakuen's Kendo Club."

"Kagome Higurashi," she replied, returning the smile.

"I know."

It was amazing how people in campus suddenly knew her when just last week she was a complete nobody.

* * *

"Why don't we just _buy_ food?" Inuyasha asked, trying to hide his irritation as Kagome handed over their drinks.

Kagome handed Miroku his canned green tea, Sango her orange juice, and Inuyasha his root beer before taking a sip of her own iced tea. "Because Inuyasha _honey_," she answered in her best syrupy voice. "I made lunch for all of us."

Inuyasha raised a suspicious eyebrow.

Kagome removed the yellow hurosiki*, and passed the bento* around. "This, _darling_, I made just for you," she laid the last bento in front of him. "After all I have to _repay_ you for the makeover as you said, right?"

Inuyasha eyed her warily from the corner of his eye.

"What?" Kagome asked innocently. "I didn't put poison in it. Promise."

"This is really good, Kagome," Miroku said through mouthfuls of food. "You're really a good cook. The tempura's* great!"

Kagome smiled at the complement and grabbed a tempura with her chopsticks. "Say 'ah' _Inu-chan_," she said cheerfully. A little too cheerfully for Inuyasha's comfort.

"What are you doing?" He asked, blushing slightly as he eyed the fried floured shrimp with distrust. "And don't call me 'Inu-chan'," he whispered.

"Feeding you," Kagome answered simply. She suddenly looked at him with puppy dog eyes. "What? You don't like my cooking?"

Sango, sitting opposite Kagome, pursed her lips to keep herself from laughing. This was going be good. She knew exactly what her best friend was up to.

"Fine," Inuyasha grumbled. He knew Kikyo and the rest of the students were probably watching them. It would not look right if he declined Kagome's offer.

"Well, how does it taste?" Kagome asked merrily. "Here, have another one." Inuyasha shook his head vehemently but Kagome managed to stuff another tempura into his mouth. "What's wrong, _Inu-chan_?" She asked innocently when he started to cough and turn into an unhealthy shade of red.

Inuyasha did not reply as he downed his root beer. He then grabbed Miroku's green tea and emptied it in seconds. He then snatched the mineral water his best friend offered and drowned the contents in record time.

"What exactly did you put in those tempuras, Kagome?" Miroku asked curiously, watching Inuyasha empty his mineral water. He could have sworn steam was coming out of Inuyasha's ears.

"Nothing." Kagome grinned. "Just lots and lots of wasabe*." Turning to Inuyasha, she asked, "How was it, _honey_?"

"Really _delicious_," Inuyasha forced a smile through clenched teeth, his face all red from the spicy tempura. Kagome knew he would not be able to do anything since they were in public. "In fact, the _best_ tempura I have ever tasted, _sweatheart_."

"I'm glad," Kagome smiled. Revenge was sweet. "I knew you'd like it. Don't worry _Inu-chan_, the tempuras are the only ones with wasabe. The other foods in the bento are harmless."

Inuyasha looked at her with skepticism before picking an octopus-shaped sausage from his best friend's lunch, much to Miroku's dismay.

* * *

Kagome hummed as she walked towards the locker where her shoes were kept. School was over and she was going to Kaede's restaurant for her after-school job. She was in high spirits after retaliating against Inuyasha.

After all, one good thing deserved another. There was no way she was going to be pushed around by some obnoxious jerk just because of some blackmail he had against her.

Opening her locker, she saw a folded red piece of paper. Thinking it was a threat via letter from Inuyasha she rolled her eyes and unfolded it.

It was not from him.

Kagome gasped.

* * *

"There is certainly a large influx of male students from Shikon Gakuen today, haven't you noticed?" Miroku observed, sipping his perennial green tea. He and Inuyasha were at Kaede's restaurant, in their usual table.

Inuyasha finished his fourth bowl of ramen and piled it along with the three other bowls that he had emptied in a mere fifteen minutes. He slurped some ramen off his fifth bowl before replying, "What about it?"

"Kagome certainly is popular with the boys now, isn't she?" Miroku put down his tea, looking amused. "I've never seen Kaede have this many customers from our high school. Even boys from other schools are here."

"Really now?" Inuyasha snorted, slurping down more noodles. "I don't know what they see in her. She's a complete bitch for putting wasabe in those tempuras earlier."

"I think she was just returning the favor of you blackmailing her."

Inuyasha looked up and gave Miroku a shut-up-or-I'll-throw-you-into-a-bottomless-pit glare before taking a sip of his soda.

Miroku complied and grinned amiably before fixing his gaze at Kagome serving some boys a few tables away. "I think you told me to shut up," he said, "but I think that's Kouga over there. It seems your cousin is interested in Kagome too."

"_WHAT_?!" Inuyasha spat out, his head snapping into the direction Miroku was looking. "What the heck is that wolf doing here?!" He stood up and marched over to his rival's table as Miroku calmly took another swig of his beloved green tea.

"Kagome, you are my woman now." He heard Kouga Takeda declare. Inuyasha popped a vein. For crying out loud, how did this wolf happen to become his second cousin? The world must really hate him…

"Excuse me?" Kagome sweat-dropped, her expression a mixture of surprise and confusion. "I'm not your girlfr—"

"She already has a boyfriend, you wolf," Inuyasha growled, reaching Kouga's table and giving him a glare that would have sent chills running down anybody's spine. "Lay off!"

"Oh dog-turd, fancy seeing you here," Kouga greeted, turning to look at him. "Don't tell me she's your girlfriend? She's far too nice and beautiful to be with the likes of you."

"What if she is?" Inuyasha retorted hotly. "Like you're any better than pond scum!"

"Don't you have Sanada-san, dog-turd?" Kouga stood up and faced him.

Inuyasha's scowled even more. "That's none of your business, wolf!"

Some of the customers, sensing the impending brawl about to take place, hastily paid their bills and hurriedly exited the noodle restaurant.

Kagome watched, eyes half-lidded from annoyance, as the two engaged in a growling contest as they stared each other down. Talk about a show of testosterone… Sighing tiredly, she got in between the two.

"Kouga-kun," she said, forcing a smile on her face. "Please sit down. I'm not your girlfriend, okay?" Before Kouga could say anything, she pushed him down to his seat and turned to Inuyasha.

"Inuyasha," she said calmly, but he noticed her eye twitch. "Please go back to your seat. I already told him I'm not his girlfriend so there is nothing you should be worried about regarding the _operation_, okay?" When Inuyasha did not budge, Kagome sighed again before dragging him by the collar and depositing him to his seat in front of Miroku.

"Please keep him out of trouble, will you Miroku?" Kagome requested, looking a little tired. She gave a small smile when Miroku nodded before heading back to the restaurant's counter.

"Is it just me or is Kagome looking a little stressed out?" Miroku wondered, staring at her retreating figure. "You didn't do anything to her this afternoon, did you?"

"No." Inuyasha scowled, still remembering the tempura incident. "She was Miss Happy Little Sunshine until I drove her here after classes."

* * *

_"How dare you steal Inuyasha from Kikyo, you bitch. You will pay dearly. Nobody messes with Kikyo Sanada and gets away with it. Not if we can help it. Before this week is over, you will find it very tempting to transfer to anther school."_ Kagome felt chills running down her spine as she remembered the contents of the red note left in her locker.

"We're here, bitch. Hey!"

And to top it all of, Kagome found a live scorpion in one of her shoes. Whoever sent her the letter meant business…

"Oi, Higurashi!"

Kagome knew Kikyo had tons of friends, especially with her popularity and reputation. And if all of them banded together, they would certainly make her life a living hell….

"Higurashi, are you okay?"

Kikyo Sanada, the person that was supposed to be the target of this whole operation, was not showing any signs of jealousy. Not yet anyway. But Kikyo's friends certainly made it clear that they were not very happy to see her as Inuyasha's new "girlfriend." Kagome wondered if Kikyo herself had any involvement in the threat. But then again, with Kikyo's immaculate reputation, Kagome highly doubted it.

"Kagome?"

Kagome blinked and saw Inuyasha looking at her worriedly. "W-what?" She stammered.

"We're here, wench," Inuyasha said harshly. The worried look in his violent eyes immediately disappeared.

Kagome realized they were already at the foot of the stairs leading up to the shrine. Mumbling a quick thanks, she opened the car door and was about to step out when Inuyasha grabbed her arm.

"Are you sure you're alright?" He asked, trying to look as unconcerned as possible.

Kagome gave him a smile that never really reached her eyes. "I'm okay. Don't worry."

"I'm not." Inuyasha retracted his hand from her arm, snorting. "You're just acting weird."

Kagome stepped out of the car and trudged up the shrine, too wrapped up in her thoughts to notice a pair of amethyst eyes still glued on, wondering at her sudden change of attitude.

**A/N:** There! I finished it! Whooopeeeeee!!! *jumps around like a lunatic before going off to play Ragnarok to level up mage*

Okay, now for the translations. "Sumimasen" can either be translated to "Sorry" or "Excuse me." When used as an apology, "sumimasen" is more formal in comparison to "gomen/gomen nasai." In Hojo's case, he used it as an apology. "Hurosiki" is the colorful cloth wrapped around the box lunch (or "bento"). As you may have noticed in Inuyasha, when Kagome brings lunch (in movie 1 for example) it is wrapped in a cloth. That's the "hurosiki." "Tempura" is a fried flour covered shrimp. If you're pretty observant, you'll notice that it is one of the most common food anime characters have in their lunch. ^^ "Wasabe" is a REALLY spicy green paste (I think it's a paste ^^), used by Japanese to, well, spice up their food.

Ooh, Kagome certainly is attracting much attention from boys. Let's see, there's Hojo, Bankotsu and Kouga. What'll happen to Inuyasha? Kind of reminds you of Ranma 1/2, ne? ^^ If you're wondering why I made Kouga Inuyasha's second cousin, well, it's part of the story. ^^ And besides, aren't wolves and dogs related? ^^ Oh, if you didn't know, Japanese students have two school shoes. Notice that Tomoyo and Sakura in Card Captor Sakura have different shoes in and out of campus. ^^ Besides the regular school shoes, they have these special shoes that they wear exclusively inside the school premises so as not to dirty the floor. ^^ They usually change their shoes when they get to school and deposit their other shoe at a designated locker. That's the locker where Kagome found the note. ^^ What will happen to Kagome now? What will Kikyo's friends do? Is Kikyo as nice as her reputation says she is? Next chapter: "Stranded in the Rain."

Was this chapter good or bad? Tell me what you think ^^


	10. Stranded in the Rain

Hello! Firstly, thanks to all the wonderful people who reviewed last chapter! I'm so happy you people appreciate my fanfic. Thanks for all the raves, suggestions and constructive criticisms. They keep me inspired. hands reviewers ice cream and Inuyasha posters

Um…I updated VERY late. That too. I know many of you just want to skewer me for not updating but I have a very valid explanation. I planned to post this chap before I left for a vacation to Sweden but due to, I dunno, bad luck and all, I wasn't able to. My sincerest apologies for that. On my aunt's place (where I was staying before my trip), their phone line got cut off on the day I was planning to post this chap (the week after my last update) and when I got to Sweden, the diskette where I saved this chap got ruined. Do x-rays damage diskettes? 0.o Anyways, that's the story. Gomen nasai again.

To those of you who've been wondering, yes, Inuyasha is a hanyou here. But why does he have black hair and amethyst eyes? You'll find out soon enough. Since most readers sort of hated Inuyasha for being a big jerk in the earlier chapters, the reason why he is in his human form even if he is half-youkai will explain why he is such an asshole to Kagome in the beginning.

You might be wondering what Inu and Kag's uniform look like. Remember Touya/Yukito's and Nakuru's uniforms in Card Captor Sakura? It's something similar to that.

Okay, 'nuff of that. Let's get on with the chapter. Hope you enjoy it.

Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha. It belongs to Rumiko Takahashi.

**The Substitute**

**Stranded in the Rain**

Kagome grabbed a toast from the table and quickly buttered it. "I'm leaving." She said as she grabbed her bag with her free hand and gave her mother and grandfather quick pecks on the cheek.

"Aren't you going to bring an umbrella, dear?" Her mother called out just as Kagome was putting on her shoes by the door. "The morning news said there will be heavy rains today."

Kagome bit into her toast, looking thoughtful for a moment. "Don't worry mom," she answered as she slid open the front door. "I'm hitching a ride with somebody so I don't think I'll need one." Kagome conveniently left out the part that she was hitching a ride with Inuyasha.

"Nonsense." Her mother strode up to her and handed her a red umbrella. "I don't want you catching any cold if you get wet."

Kagome took the umbrella and placed it on the crook of her arm, since she was holding her bag and her breakfast on both her hands. "Thanks, mom." Kagome gave her a small smile and quickly exited the house.

Jogging down the shrine steps as she bit into her toast, she noticed that the sky was covered with dark gray rain clouds_. "I guess it will really be raining hard today,"_ she thought. A light thunder rumbled overhead. _"I just hope my day won't be as gloomy…"_

Reaching the bottom step, she was greeted with Inuyasha's usual scowl. "It's about time you got here, wench," he snapped. He was leaning on the side of his black Jaguar, watching her as she descended the shrine steps. "I was thinking you had overslept or had to save your fat cat trapped in the well again."

Kagome finished her toast as she suppressed poking him with the tip of her umbrella. "Well, good morning to you too, Takahashi." She replied cynically. "Your morning greetings never fail to brighten up my day."

"I'm glad." Inuyasha smirked. "I think I was meant to _brighten_ up your day, Higurashi."

"Oh joy. Lucky me," Kagome retorted as Inuyasha opened the passenger door to let her in. "So morons like _you_ do serve a purpose, after all."

Inuyasha's eye twitched for a second. "Maybe," he returned as he slid into the driver's seat. "It's just too bad for you this moron's the one driving. I suggest you fasten your seatbelt or end up splattered on the windshield." Inuyasha revved the engine. "Oops, I forgot. _Geniuses_ like _you_ already know that, right?"

Kagome gulped. Inuyasha was a good driver but he could drive very recklessly if he wanted to scare the living daylights out of his (unlucky) passengers. Kagome clung to her seat and prayed to all the saints that she had been a good girl and did not deserve to meet an untimely demise because of some idiotic jerk's "reckless-on-purpose" driving.

* * *

Sango looked at Kagome for the nth time that lunch. Kagome and Inuyasha were doing a great performance acting as _the_ perfect couple. Sango could have sworn they really were lovebirds, if it weren't for the fact that every now and then either one of them would wordlessly mouth an insult at the other, or kick each other secretly in the shins beneath the table… But other than that, Inuyasha and Kagome were showering each other with so much fake sweetness that even Romeo and Juliet would puke at the sight of them.

But that was not what troubled Sango. Beneath Kagome's smiles, Sango knew her best friend was hiding something. Since she and Kagome had been the best of friends since kindergarten, Sango could easily tell if Kagome was keeping something from her. And today was one of those times…

"Is there anything wrong, Sango-chan?" Miroku inquired.

Sango turned her attention back to her food. "Nothing."

"You keep looking at Kagome." Miroku looked skeptical. "Is anything wrong with her?"

This was one of those times Sango wished perverted players like Miroku weren't so perceptive. "It's none of your business, Kanzaki," she said quietly as she took a sip of her drink.

Miroku looked at the "sweet" couple on the other side of their table. "Kagome looks troubled."

"How do you know that?" Sango asked, trying not to look surprised. How in the world did he know that? Sango was beginning to think the pervert could actually read minds…Scary.

"Kagome's eyes are very expressive, Sango-chan." Miroku turned to her. "Even if she doesn't say anything, her eyes tell the story."

Sango looked slightly impressed. "I bet you got that from reading a girl's magazine."

Miroku shook his head. "She kind of reminds me of Inuyasha, actually. He and Kagome look good together, if they weren't too preoccupied insulting each other and causing World War every five minutes." Miroku grinned before sipping his beloved tea. "Anyway, whatever's bothering Kagome, Sango-chan, she'll tell you when she's ready. But right now, just let her think it over."

"Sometimes Kanzaki, you make so much sense." Sango tilted her head, looking at Miroku slightly amused. "Who would have thought somebody like you could be so perceptive?"

"Is that a complement I'm hearing, Sango-chan?" Miroku was grinning like a Cheshire cat.

"Whatever." Sango waved her chopsticks dismissively. "Where'd you get the takoyaki?" She asked, trying to change the topic.

"From those nice girls over there." Miroku pointed a thumb at a bunch of girls holding a "We luv Miroku" banner a few tables behind them. "They even gave me chocolate chip cookies. Isn't that great? Want some?"

"I bet your fan club added a sleeping drug in those cookies again," Inuyasha smirked on the other side of the table before Kagome shoved sushi into his mouth that effectively shut him up.

Sango's eye twitched as she watched Miroku sample one of the cookies warily before considering them safe for consumption. "I take that back," she muttered as Miroku gobbled the remaining cookies. "You're just a lecherous _flirtatious_ playboy who happens to be very lucky in guessing what's on somebody's mind."

* * *

Kagome stifled a yawn as she took down notes in Chemistry. Due to the threatening red note she had received yesterday, Kagome barely had any sleep. After all, she had never been threatened by anyone in that manner before. But so far, there had been no "incidents." Nobody tried to trip her and there was no live poisonous insect in her shoe locker.

_"Maybe the red note was just a mean practical joke,"_ she thought, resting her chin on the palm of her hand. _"A really mean practical joke at that."_

Looking at Inuyasha from the corner of her eye, she noticed he was trying his best to stay awake as Shinomori-sensei, their Chemistry teacher, lectured on about balancing chemical equations. She also noticed Kikyo, who was seated in the front, looking at her once in a while with her usual calm expression. Maybe the operation was starting to work…

Kagome crossed her fingers. _"I hope it does,"_ she mused as she copied Shinomori-sensei's notes on the blackboard_. "If I'm going to pretend to be this sweet to Takahashi for another week, I am seriously going to get sick…"_

Their classroom door suddenly slid open. "Excuse me, Shinomori-sensei." A girl Kagome recognized as Tsubame Tokuno from the tennis club, peeped in.

"Yes?" Shinomori-sensei inquired, his ice blue eyes looking slightly irritated from the interruption. "What is it?"

"Himura-sensei wishes to see Higurashi-san," Tsubame explained. "Himura-sensei said he had something important to discuss with her about her History project."

"Right now?" Shinomori-sensei raised a brow incredulously. "Can't it wait until after class?" The look on his otherwise stoic face suggested he was a little doubtful why the History teacher would call a student in the middle of an afternoon class.

Tsubame shook her head. "That's what Himura-sensei told me."

Shinomori-sensei turned to Kagome. "You heard her, Higurashi-san," he said quietly. "Himura-san is looking for you." He then turned his attention back to his open chemistry book, muttering something about Battousai interrupting his class.

Kagome stood up and met Tsubame at the classroom door. "This way." Tsubame motioned as Kagome slid shut the door behind her. Kagome shrugged and followed behind.

* * *

Sango took down some notes as Himura-sensei rambled on about the events that occurred during the beginning of the Meiji Era.

Sango was listing down the names of the people who played a major part in the Meiji Era Restoration when Yura suddenly raised her hand.

"Can I go to the bathroom, sensei?" She asked.

Himura-sensei looked up from the thick book he was scanning. "Of course." He nodded.

Abi also raised her hand. "Can I go too, Himura-sensei?"

"Oro?" Himura-sensei blinked, sweat-dropping. "You too?"

Abi nodded. "It's an emergency, sensei," she said, looking at the History teacher with sincerity. "Please."

Himura-sensei sighed. "It can't be helped." He ran a hand through his long red hair. "But you two better be quick, okay?"

The two girls nodded and hastily made their exit.

Sango eyed the two girls suspiciously as they slid shut the door behind them. Why was she feeling apprehensive? Well, for starters, Abi and Yura NEVER go to the bathroom at the same time. Also, she had seen Yura carrying some cans of spray paint that morning. Something was definitely up. Sango could feel it…

"Where were we?" Himura-sensei asked.

"You were giving out the list of people who played a major part in the Restoration during the Meiji Era," Miroku, who was sitting behind Sango, prompted the teacher. "You stopped with General Yamagata."

"Ah yes," Himura-sensei smiled. "Thank you, Kanzaki-kun." The teacher then continued with his lecture.

Sango on the other hand, was not paying attention anymore. Her gaze wondered to the window. The sky had darkened considerably since this morning. There was going to be a strong downpour anytime soon.

Sango prayed her instincts were wrong this time, for Kagome's sake…

* * *

Kagome was confused. Tsubame had been leading her through the deserted corridors for five minutes already. "Excuse me," she began timidly. "Why does Himura-sensei want to see me now? Doesn't he have a class during this time?"

Tsubame did not reply as they rounded another turn. "Excuse me," Kagome tried again. "Why does Himura-sensei want to see me right now?"

Tsubame stopped and turned around, the pleasant smile on her face was replaced with a smirk.

"Who said you were going to see Himura-sensei, tramp?" Kagome whirled around to see Yura and Abi with seven other girls behind them. Three were holding buckets of water with ice cubes floating on top, while the rest, including Abi and Yura, were holding spray paints.

Kagome gasped and started backing away. _"So they were the ones who sent the letter,"_ she realized. _"I should have known this was a setup from the beginning!"_

"And where are you going?" Tsubame sneered behind her. Kagome saw that she had duct tape on one hand. "Not so confident without Inuyasha by your side, are you little bitch?"

Kagome backed into a wall, but she was not about to give these girls the satisfaction of seeing her intimidated "I didn't think you girls could stoop so low to resort to threatening and bullying to get your point across!" She responded angrily. "It's not my fault Inuyasha made me his new girlfriend!"

Yura stopped a foot away from her. "Oh yeah?" She retorted, roughly pushing Kagome on the shoulder. "Kikyo told me Inuyasha broke up with her. You knew she and Inuyasha were a couple but being the little bitch that you are, you made Inuyasha fall for you! You stole Inuyasha from Kikyo, you tramp!"

Kagome's jaw dropped. That story was so untrue it rendered her speechless for a moment. Kikyo told them that? _The_ Kikyo Sanada? Kagome simply refused to believe Kikyo was capable of such a thing…

"That is NOT true!" Kagome responded angrily. "You got it all wrong!"

"Oh really now?" Yura cocked an eyebrow skeptically. "You're telling us Kikyo lied?"

"It was the other way around!" Kagome clenched her fists. "Kikyo broke up with Inuyasha_!" "That's why he even resorted to blackmail to make me help him get Kikyo back,"_ she added mentally.

"Shut up!" Abi slapped her on the cheek. Hard. "Like somebody like you is worth believing!"

A moment later Kagome found herself with duct tape over her mouth. Her hands were tied to her back with more tape. Yura and company then dragged her to the nearby bathroom and sprayed her all over with multicolored spray paints. Kagome could only close her eyes as she was sprayed over the face and hair. The fume of the spray paints made her sick. Her uniform was stained with so much paint but she could do nothing against ten girls.

After the paint job, she was splashed with three buckets of icy water. She was completely drenched and numb from the chilly water. Thinking they were through with her, Kagome sank to her knees, shivering. But they weren't. The girls dragged Kagome's shivering wet form out of the bathroom, earning Kagome some scrapes in the knees, before throwing her into a nearby janitor's closet and locking the door from the outside.

"Shikon Gakuen has no place for the likes of you," Kagome heard Yura say from the other side of the door. "A little mouse like you just got lucky to have gotten a scholarship into a privileged school. But when you stole Inuyasha from Kikyo…you just crossed the line."

* * *

Inuyasha threw a glance at Kagome's desk. She had been gone for almost thirty minutes already. Not that he was worried or anything, but Inuyasha doubted Himura-sensei took thirty minutes to brief Kagome about her History project since he knew she had classes to attend to. But then again, wasn't he her partner in the research? Shouldn't he have been called too? It didn't make sense.

Just then, Takani-sensei, their English teacher, walked in. All the students stood up and did their usual greeting every time a teacher came to class. As the English teacher motioned them to sit down, Kikyo raised her hand.

"May I go to the bathroom, sensei?" She asked politely.

Takani-sensei put her things down. "Yes, you may." She nodded. "But be sure to come back here quick because we have a quiz coming up." She instantly sprouted fox ears and tail as she did her signature "ohoho" laugh, earning a groan from the rest of the class. Takani-sensei was notorious for her hard quizzes in English.

Inuyasha, on the other hand, was oblivious to all of this as watched his ex-girlfriend's close the door behind her. _"Why do I have this feeling I'm missing something important here?"_

* * *

Kagome kicked the door for the umpteenth time. She was cold, dusty and was starting to feel sick because of the smell of the paint, the dust from the closet and the cold icy water dumped on her earlier.

She could not scream since there was still tape on her mouth and her hands were securely taped behind her. _"Shoot,"_ Kagome cursed mentally. _"Sango, Miroku, heck even Takahashi…anybody… help me!"_

She kicked the door again before sinking to the floor, the events of what happened minutes earlier rewinding in her head. Kikyo told them Inuyasha had broken up with her? Kagome was positively sure it was the other way around…So the only logical explanation: Kikyo lied. Why? Kagome shook her head. _"It can't be true,"_ her mind argued. _"Kikyo's too nice to do something like that. Yura and Abi must be making all of this up."_

Feeling a headache coming along, she dropped the issue. _"Now Kagome,"_ she told herself. _"This is not the time to meddle in somebody else's relationship. You have got to get out of here before you literally turn into a skeleton in the closet."_

Standing up, Kagome gathered her remaining strength to push the door open with her weight. As she charged to the door, it suddenly opened, making her slide and fall to the floor from the momentum.

_"Well, that turned out nicely…" _Kagome sweat-dropped. Looking up to see who had opened the door, her eyes bugged out when she saw Kikyo.

"Are you okay, Higurashi-san?" Kikyo asked as kneeled beside Kagome and pulled the strip of tape off her mouth.

"Sanada-san?" Kagome exclaimed, sapphire eyes wide with surprise. "How did you know I was in there?"

Kikyo cut the tape from Kagome's wrists with her handy little Swiss knife keychain. "I overheard Yura and Abi talking yesterday," the gray-eyed girl answered simply. She then stood up and extended a hand to help Kagome up. "You weren't back in class so I guessed they actually went through with their plan."

Kagome looked at Kikyo's flawless hand before gingerly taking it to pull herself up. "Um, thanks," Kagome mumbled, suppressing another wave of shivers.

"Why don't we go somewhere?" Kikyo invited. Before Kagome could ask why, she continued, "You don't mean to go back to class looking like that, do you?"

Kagome, with her arms wrapped around herself to keep her warm, looked down at her uniform and realized Kikyo had a point. Her uniform was barely recognizable from the paint and she could not even imagine what her face and hair looked like. "You do have a point," Kagome admitted.

"I know you'd see it my way," Kikyo gave her a small smile. Kagome, who was still reeling from what Yura and the others did, stayed quiet and let Kikyo steer her to whatever place she was planning to bring her.

Kagome shivered as Kikyo opened the door to the rooftop. The wind was strong and cold and looked it like it was going to rain any minute. Kagome walked on ahead, as Kikyo stayed put by the door.

"Why did you take me here, Sanada-san?" Kagome asked as she rubbed her hands together to keep her warm. When Kikyo did not answer, Kagome turned around. "Sanada-san?"

Kagome's eyes widened when she saw Kikyo closing the rooftop door. Rushing towards her, Kagome saw a menacing glint in Kikyo's gray eyes before the door slammed shut.

"Stay away from Inuyasha, Higurashi," Kikyo's unusually cold voice said from the other side of the door. "If you know what's good for you."

"But broke up with him," Kagome replied, stunned at Kikyo's sudden change in attitude.

Kikyo was silent for a while that Kagome feared she left her out on the rooftop for good. "You don't know what if feels like not to have a choice," Kikyo grounded out. "Stay away from Inuyasha," she repeated. "What happened to you today is just a taste of what will happen to you later if you continue to be with him. You will never have Inuyasha. I will never let you."

"What do you mean you didn't have a choice?" Kagome called out desperately as she twisted the knob. It was locked from the inside. She pounded on the door. "Sanada-san! Let me in! Please!" She heard Kikyo's footsteps fade as she descended back into the building.

Kagome gritted her teeth as she wearily pounded the steel door one last time. Great. She was now stuck in the rooftop. But what troubled her more was that Kikyo Sanada was responsible for her current predicament. _The_ Kikyo Sanada who had an immaculate reputation in school, the vice-president of the student body, the top archer of Shikon Gakuen, the perennial honor student, locked her out in the rooftop.

When it seemed things couldn't get any worse, it started to rain.

* * *

"Where in the world is that bitch?" Inuyasha growled. He and Miroku had just arrived at Kaede's noodle restaurant. "The nerve of her! She even let me carry her things!"

"You're supposed to be her 'boyfriend'. You have to carry her things." Miroku pointed out patiently as they sat down on their usual spot at the restaurant. "But isn't it weird, my friend, that she left her belongings behind?"

"She probably just wants to annoy the hell out of me again." Inuyasha dumped her bag and umbrella on top of their table along with his own bag. "Like what she did with those tempuras yesterday."

Miroku, who had just signaled a random waitress to bring them their drinks and Inuyasha's usual ramen, sighed as he turned back to his friend. "If this was her way of getting revenge again, isn't it a little lame, even for her?" His eyes searched the restaurant for a second. "And besides, I don't see Kagome anywhere."

"She's probably inside the 'Employees Only' room." Inuyasha rolled his eyes as he stood up. "That wench purposely _forgot_ that we have to meet after school and do the usual drill to make you-know-who jealous. I'm going to make that blackmail true if she keeps this up." Inuyasha then barged into the restricted section of the restaurant.

Miroku sweat-dropped as he watched his best friend disappear in the Employees Only section. Sighing, Miroku turned his to the window, looking thoughtful.

Inuyasha had told him Kagome had not returned to class after a student came over to say that Himura-sensei was looking for her early that afternoon. Miroku frowned slightly. If he was not mistaken, Himura-sensei was their teacher during the first afternoon class. But Principal Ookubo suddenly called the redhead teacher in the middle of class for some sort of emergency. As far as Miroku was concerned, there was certainly no way Himura-sensei was able to call her over. And Kagome was not the type to skip classes. Something was definitely not right.

"Here's your order, sir!" A redhead waitress chimed cheerfully as she set Miroku's perennial green tea and Inuyasha's usual root beer. "Your ramen will be served in a few minutes."

"Thanks Ayame," Miroku said, giving the waitress a smile. Ayame was one of the waitresses who often served them their orders. "Hey, is Kagome-san around?"

"I'm afraid she isn't." Ayame shook her head. "She hasn't come in yet. She didn't even leave a note or a call to say she was not coming today. "

Miroku was about to ask if Kaede knew something about Kagome's absence when Inuyasha was thrown out of the Employees Only room by a stressed looking old woman herself. Ayame gave Miroku a quick smile before heading back to the counter.

"Damn it!" Inuyasha fumed, plopping on the chair opposite Miroku. "She has not reported for work yet. Can you believe Kaede even threatened to throw me out of the restaurant if I barge into the kitchens without permission again?!"

Miroku put down his drink, eyes slanted. "Well, Kaede's threat is hardly surprising."

"Shut up." If looks could kill, Miroku would have dropped dead that instant with the glare Inuyasha was giving him. "This is all that wench's fault…"

"Speaking of Kagome," Miroku clasped his hands together and rested his chin on top, "isn't it strange that she had not returned to class after she was supposedly called by Himura-sensei? I don't think she would just leave her belongings with somebody else other than Sango."

Inuyasha looked annoyed as he took a swig of his drink. "Your point is?"

"I think Himura-sensei never actually called her over," Miroku said simply.

Inuyasha remained quiet as he swirled his root bear idly in its glass.

Miroku sighed before continuing. "If Himura-sensei did call her over because of the research, shouldn't he have called you over too?"

"My thoughts exactly," Inuyasha muttered. He grabbed her bag and opened it.

Miroku raised his brows. "What are you doing?"

"Trying to see if she left any clues to where she had gone to," Inuyasha replied. "If she had gone because of some family emergency, I doubt she'd still leave her bag behind." He shuffled through her things as Miroku sipped his green tea thoughtfully.

Inuyasha pulled out a notebook and leafed through the pages, encountering some of Kagome's doodle of a long-haired stick person complete with horns and fangs pummeled by what looked like pitchforks and arrows. Underneath the stick person, Kagome's neat handwriting had written, "Die Takahashi!!!" Inuyasha snorted and was about to tear the page out when a folded red piece of paper fell out of the notebook. He unfolded the note and read the contents.

"Is anything wrong?" Miroku inquired when he noticed his best friend turn three shades paler.

"I've got to go," Inuyasha said urgently. "I'll see you later."

"But your ramen?" Miroku looked confused. Inuyasha never let a day pass by without eating his beloved noodles. What was in that note he just read?

Inuyasha grabbed his and Kagome's bags. "Eat it. The ramen's yours." Before Miroku could ask any more questions, Inuyasha left the restaurant.

* * *

"Takahashi-kun?" Sango looked surprised. "What are you doing back here?" She was about to head for the school gates to wait for her father to come pick her up and drop her off to cram school.

"Have you seen Higurashi?" Inuyasha panted, reaching her side.

"You mean you're not with her?" Sango's jaw dropped. "When did you last see her?"

"Early this afternoon, before some girl called her out of class to see Himura-sensei supposedly," Inuyasha answered impatiently. "That's not the point. Have you seen her?"

Sango shook her head, suddenly looking anxious.

Inuyasha sighed heavily. He was about to make a run towards the school building when Sango caught his arm.

"You find her Takahashi-kun," Sango voiced forcefully, but her eyes were filled with fear and worry. "And nothing better happened to her, or I swear…" She left the threat unfinished as she weakly let go of his arm.

Inuyasha nodded slightly before sprinting towards the school building.

Sango bit her lower lip as she watched Inuyasha's figure disappear inside the building. This was what she was afraid of.

_"Kagome…please be alright…"_

* * *

Inuyasha let out a frustrated growl. "Where is she?"

If some people did harass her, they probably locked her up somewhere, explaining why she's nowhere to be found…Inuyasha wracked his brain. Where? He had searched all the janitor's closets, all lockers large enough to fit a girl like Kagome, and all possible nook and cranny in school where she could have been hidden, to no avail.

_"How dare you steal Inuyasha from Kikyo, you bitch. You will pay dearly. Nobody messes with Kikyo Sanada and gets away with it. Not if we can help it. Before this week is over, you will find it very tempting to transfer to anther school."_ The letter's contents echoed in Inuyasha's head.

_"You will pay dearly…"_

Inuyasha gritted his teeth and balled his hands. This was not what he had expected from the plan to make Kikyo jealous. He and Miroku had not anticipated other people would get involved and ruin the plan. Now Kagome, even though he disliked her, was off somewhere, probably even hurt, and it was all _his_ fault. _"Screw my pathetic life,"_ he thought, punching the wall.

Inuyasha looked out the window. It was already late in the afternoon. He had searched for almost an hour. The only place left to look for was the rooftop. He avoided going to there since Kikyo broke up with him, but considering the urgency of the current situation, whether he liked it or not, he had to check the place.

Racing up the stairs, he unlocked the steel rooftop door and pushed it open. It was windy and a little cold, since the strong rains only stopped an hour ago.

"Higurashi?" He called out, not caring if he stepped on some puddle. "Hey wench, where are you?" The rooftop was empty.

He sighed and headed for the railing, which had a great view of the school grounds. _"She's not here…Where else could she be?"_ He wondered, the wind whipping his ebony hair.

He turned around and was about to head back to the door when a figure hunched on the side of the rooftop entrance caught his eye. Inuyasha's eyes widened. "Higurashi!"

Rushing to her side, Inuyasha noticed she was covered with multi-colored paints, not to mention she was soaking wet. Her knees had a few scratches and her wrists had remnants of what looked like duct tape.

She was pale and visibly shivering. Inuyasha took off his uniform coat and draped it over her shoulders. He felt her forehead and realized she was burning with fever. _"Oh shit…"_ He cursed mentally.

"Takahashi?" Kagome said weakly as she slightly opened her eyes when Inuyasha felt her forehead.

Inuyasha did not say anything as he carefully picked her up bridal style and carried her back inside the building.

**A/N:** That was a pretty serious chapter, ne? You may have noticed I my writing style was a little different to adapt to this chapter's story.

Anyways, to the translations. "Takoyaki" is a Japanese treat. A piece of octopus or "tako" is put inside a ball of flour. It's an octupus ball, sort of. You may have seen it in the Kero-chan's short clip at the end of the second CCS movie. You can also see takoyaki in Ranma ½ or in the second season of You're Under Arrest. "Oro" is Kenshin Himura's expression, if you were able to watch the original Japanese version of Rurouni Kenshin. It has no meaning actually. He sounds really funny though every time he says it. Oro.

Is Kikyo two-faced or what? Where is Inuyasha taking Kagome? Her home, his mansion, or to the hospital? Will Inuyasha's conscience kick in this time and make him feel guilty? What will Sango do to Inuyasha after she finds out what happened to Kagome? What will happen to Yura and company after Inuyasha finds out they were the ones who harassed Kagome? Dum dum dum…

Serious chapter, ne? Don't worry, there'll be a little bit of fluff next chappie. You've all been dying for that now, haven't you?

Was this chapter good or bad? Tell me what you think.


	11. Tears and Teasing

Firstly, a BIG THANK YOU for all the reviews. Your comments, suggestions, raves and criticisms keep this lousy authoress from completely slacking off. Thank you!

Sorry for the long wait. You won't believe how much hassle it is to transfer from one college to another and shift to another course. O.o

I had slightly changed Kikyo's dialogue to Kagome in the last chapter. Please read that part if you have the time. Her dialogue this time would make more sense than the last one.

Have you seen the third Harry Potter movie? It was, in my opinion, better than the first two. I did not like the cuts in the first half, but it was good all in all. It was darker and the characters were more human than the first two movies.

Well, anyways, I hope you enjoy this chapter. I made it extra long (13 pages in MSWord), just for you guys in gratitude of your patience. Hope you have a nice read!

Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha. It belongs to the talented Rumiko Takahashi.

**The Substitute **

**Tears and Teasing**

Inuyasha weaved in and out of traffic as he raced to his mansion. Grabbing his cell phone, he tried to phone Toutousai at the mansion, ignoring the low battery warning flashing on his phone.

"Shit," he growled, tossing the mobile phone aside as it turned off after the first ring. "Just my damn luck to get low battery in an emergency. "

Narrowly missing a crossing pedestrian, he cursed some more as he encountered a red light at the intersection ahead. "For pity's sake!" He sighed, exasperated. "Is everything going to go wrong today?!"

Stealing a glance at Kagome, who still had his uniform coat draped on her to keep her warm, he put the sports car in reverse. "Hang in there, Higurashi," he said as he expertly maneuvered the car out of the traffic and into a narrow street at the side. "I'm taking a shortcut."

Inuyasha smirked when he realized all that secret midnight driving escapades behind Toutousai's back paid off. He knew almost all the streets in Tokyo like the back of his hand.

Reaching the mansion, Inuyasha slammed on the brakes. He quickly undid his and Kagome's seatbelt and wasted no time carrying the sick girl into the mansion.

"Get the staff!" He ordered as he barged into the large front doors.

"Really Inuyasha," Toutousai said disapprovingly as he met his master at the mansion lobby. "Didn't your parents tell you never to drive that fast inside the mansion grounds?" Noticing Kagome on his master's arms, he added, "And what happened to Kagome-san?"

"It's a long story, jijii," Inuyasha answered dryly. "Just get the staff. I want Higurashi cleaned and dressed up. Now." He marched up the grand staircase with Toutousai right at his heels.

"You should have called earlier so we had time to prepare for your arrival," the head butler noted. "Kagome-san is in really bad shape. You didn't pull a stunt on her, did you?"

Inuyasha stopped, turned around and glowered at his butler. If looks could kill, there would be one less butler around. "I would have called if my cell phone did not run out of battery!" He replied through clenched teeth, resisting the urge to throttle his head butler into oblivion. "And no, I did not pull a stunt on her! If I did, I certainly wouldn't bring her to the mansion for treatment! Now get the staff already, jijii!" He continued his brisk pace through the halls.

"Very well," Toutousai nodded calmly as he signaled a couple of the staff. "I'll tell some of the maids to prepare one of the guest rooms then."

"No, you're not," Inuyasha answered quietly, not looking at Toutousai as he continued his brisk pace. "She's sleeping in my room."

The head butler stopped dead in his tracks. It was surprising his young master was fussing over a girl. Toutousai smiled knowingly. "As you wish, Inuyasha-sama."

Inuyasha stopped walking and turned around. "Don't get any funny ideas, jijii," he muttered, eyes half-lidded in annoyance. "I just want to watch over her for tonight because I feel responsible for what happened to her."

Toutousai crossed his arms on his chest. "I didn't say anything, Inuyasha," he responded smugly as Inuyasha fumed. "But whatever you say, _master_. I _believe_ you."

Inuyasha's eye twitched at his butler's sarcasm. He was about to give the butler a piece of his mind when Kagome stirred slightly in his arms. Telling Toutousai off would just have to wait. He made a mental note to strap his butler to an anchor and throw him off the South China Sea when this was over.

"Whatever, jijii," Inuyasha said in a low voice as he continued walking. "Just get the staff. Get some of okaa-san's pajamas or something to dress her up. Pronto."

* * *

"Do you know who did that to her?" Miroku asked urgently over his cell phone. He was at the parking lot of his cram school. He had called Inuyasha as soon as cram school was over to know what had happened to Kagome.

"She's still asleep, you know," Inuyasha muttered on the phone. "How am I supposed to interrogate a sick sleeping person?"

Miroku ran a hand through his hair. The operation to make Kikyo jealous was perfect…minus the fact that he and Inuyasha did not consider other people getting involved. Miroku was feeling horrible and partly responsible for what happened to Kagome. But he couldn't imagine what his best friend was feeling. Inuyasha may seem obnoxious and tough on the outside, but Miroku knew his best friend was the opposite inside.

"Do you have any ideas who did that to her?" Miroku interrogated.

He heard Inuyasha sigh tiredly. "Besides that tennis girl who took her out of class, I have no idea."

"I'll head over there, okay?" Miroku told him before ending the call.

Deactivating his car's alarm, he unlocked his car door and seated himself, his mind still whirling. By Inuyasha's description, the girl was probably Tsubame Tokuno. If Miroku's deductions were correct, Yura and Abi were involved in harassing Kagome. They were possible suspects but Kagome still needed to tell them herself who hurt her for them to be certain.

A soft tapping on his car window interrupted Miroku's thoughts. He looked up to see Sango eyeing him intently as she rapped on his window.

"Can I do anything for you, Sango-chan?" Miroku asked amicably as he lowered his car window. He gave her a smile, acting as if everything was all fine and dandy.

"What happened to Kagome?" Sango demanded urgently. "And don't pretend you don't know anything Kanzaki because I just saw you talking on the phone. It was Takahashi-kun, wasn't it? Where's Kagome? What happened to her? Is she okay?" She asked forcibly, trying to hide the worry in her voice.

Miroku sighed. She saw right though his mask. It was no use keeping it from her anyway. She had the right to know, since she is, after all, Kagome's best friend. "She's at Inuyasha's place," Miroku answered. "She has a fever. Apparently, some people harassed her earlier this afternoon."

Miroku watched as color drained from Sango's face. She was speechless for a moment. "Are you going to Takahashi-kun's place now?" She inquired quietly, finding her voice.

"Yes?" Miroku said uncertainly, not sure where Sango's question was leading.

"Then I'm going with you," she declared. She marched over to the passenger side of the car and got in.

Miroku blinked for a second, surprised. "Doesn't your father fetch you from cram school?" He asked, turning to the girl beside him. "He's going to think I kidnapped you or something if I take you along right now, you know. "

Sango gave him a small smile. "I called chichi-ue and told him I was going over to your place so you could tutor me in math."

"And he believed that?" Miroku's brows shot up.

"Of course," Sango answered as she fastened her seatbelt. "He's good friends with your father so he trusts you, even if you are a _perverted_ flirtatious _playboy_." Sango smirked for a moment. "Please take me with you. I need to see if my best friend is okay."

"My, Sango-chan. Your description about me seems to get longer and longer everyday." Miroku noted as he turned the ignition. "I don't have a choice but to bring you with me now, do I?"

"Darn right, Kanzaki," Sango replied. "And please tell me everything you know about what happened to Kagome. I need to know."

* * *

Kikyo prodded the food on her plate. She was not feeling very hungry.

"Is anything wrong, Kikyo dear?" Her mother asked from one end of the table. "You barely ate anything."

Kikyo forced a smile. "Nothing okaa-san. I'm just not very hungry, that's all."

"You should get a little more sleep and food," her stepfather told her from the other end of the large rectangular table. "You're a little pale."

"Must be from all the events happening in school today," Naraku drawled as he eyed Kikyo with a smirk plastered on his face. He was sitting in front of her. "Or maybe the weather. It was all nice and rainy in the afternoon."

Kikyo flinched ever so slightly, remembering what had happed on the rooftop. When she looked at it right now, it seemed completely wrong. That was not her. She would never ever lock somebody who had already been hurt and harassed just because the green monster of jealousy had taken control of her. She knew better than that, right? But another part inside her said that girl deserved every inch of what she got… It was a little confusing.

She sighed and looked at Naraku still eyeing her like a smug little snake. Maybe her stepbrother was more of a bad influence than she had previously thought…

"I really think humans and youkais should go to different schools," Naraku voiced out as he popped a piece of salmon in his mouth. "Especially hanyous. They don't even belong anywhere."

Kikyo tightened the grip on her knife as she sliced a bit of the baked salmon on her plate. A slight frown appeared on her usually calm features.

Naraku's hobby was to see her get angry. He took sadistic pleasure seeing an expression, usually a frown, on her usually stoic face. He knew very well he had struck a cord with that one.

"Indeed," her stepfather nodded in approval. "Humans who fall for youkais are _truly_ blind and stupid. And they end up with hanyous that are even worse than youkais. Half and half. It's disgusting and pathetic. Am I right dear?" He looked at Kikyo's mother.

"Ah yes," her mother answered, her voice slightly strained. Kikyo knew her mother did not agree with that, but since her stepfather held the family's fortune, she had no choice but to agree.

_"I think it's quite sad some people still have this baseless hatred towards youkais and hanyous,"_ she thought staring at her dinner. Her frown deepened. _"And that's what's truly disgusting and pathetic."_

She elegantly got up. "Please excuse me." She said coldly as she shot Naraku an icy glare before disappearing down the halls. "I'm not hungry."

"What's wrong with her?" His stepfather wondered aloud.

Naraku watched her figure disappear in the halls. "I guess the ice princess isn't feeling too well," he smirked some more. "Must be the salmon."

* * *

Inuyasha sighed wearily as he watched Kagome sleep in his bed. The staff had cleaned and dressed her up in a few short minutes. The silk white nightgown Kagome wore that fitted her perfectly was, according to Toutousai, the one his mother wore when she was about Kagome's age.

Inuyasha pulled up a chair beside the bed and loosened his uniform tie. He had not changed from his school uniform or had any dinner yet.

Removing the wet cloth on her forehead and replacing it with a new one, he noted that her fever had gone down slightly, much to his relief. Her pale cheeks were slightly flushed from the fever.

_"She looks so much like Kikyo,"_ Inuyasha observed, staring at her sleeping face lighted by the dim lampshade by the bedside. He collapsed back to his chair, running a hand through his ebony hair. Kagome looked fragile and vulnerable right now, very different from the Kagome who argued with him, fed him spicy tempura and kicked him in the shins every time they pretended to be a couple. In all honesty, Inuyasha wanted that Kagome better than this one.

"I'm sorry, Higurashi…no, Kagome," Inuyasha mumbled as he rested his chin between his arms as he leaned on the bed. "I'm sorry, I really am." He snorted a little. "It's weird I'm apologizing to somebody asleep but I guess my pride wouldn't let me apologize if you were awake… I know I've been a total jerk to you since day one. But I'm even more sorry I ever dragged you into this complicated situation between Kikyo and me. I shouldn't have blackmailed you. That was completely selfish of me, and now you're hurt and it's all my fault…I want Kikyo back but that was still no reason to get somebody like you involved. If you tell me straight in my face that you don't want to do this anymore, I won't blame you. I won't blackmail you anymore but your mom can still keep her job."

Inuyasha looked at the sheets, smiling slightly. "And I'm sorry I called you all those names, especially butt-ugly. To be honest," he looked at Kagome to be sure she was fast asleep, "you're nowhere near butt-ugly. You may look much like Kikyo but you _are_ beautiful in your own right."

He stood up and was about to change the cloth on her forehead when Kagome stirred. Inuyasha froze. _"Shit! She was awake the whole time?!"_

Kagome opened her eyes weakly. "Takahashi?"

Inuyasha dared not to reply as his heart beat painfully. What if she had heard all of that? Inuyasha mentally kicked himself for being a stupid idiot, blurting all those apologies when Kagome was probably just keeping her eyes closed and not genuinely asleep.

Kagome forced herself to sit up, and as she did so, her head ached. "Where am I?"

"You shouldn't do that you know," Inuyasha muttered as he put a hand on her back to keep her steadily seated. "Stupid girl. And if you must know, you're in my house, in my room, in my bed, wearing my mother's old nightgown."

"I guessed just about that," Kagome smiled playfully in spite of her fever.

Inuyasha narrowed his eyes. "You heard it, didn't you?"

Kagome blinked innocently. "Hear what?" On cue, her stomach grumbled. "I was hungry, that's why I woke up…What should I have heard?"

"Nothing," Inuyasha replied, looking relieved. "I'll tell jijii to get you some dinner." He went to his room's intercom and ordered the butler to bring Kagome's dinner.

"Takahashi?"

Inuyasha whirled around. "What?" He snapped, a little harsher than he intended.

Kagome smiled softly. "I just want to say thank you."

"For what?" For the love of him, Inuyasha did not understand why she should be thanking him.

"For saving me," Kagome responded gently. "You came back to school just to look for me. Thank you, Inuyasha."

"Whatever." Inuyasha rolled his eyes, brushing the gratitude nonchalantly.

Even if she was sick, Kagome did not miss the slight blush that crept on his cheeks.

* * *

Sango's jaw went slack. "They did that to Kagome? They tied her up with duct tape and sprayed her with tape before locking her up at the rooftop?"

Miroku nodded, his attention never leaving the road. "Well, not exactly Sango-chan. It's what me and Inuyasha think happened to her from her appearance when Inuyasha found her. Kagome-san is still asleep so we are not sure if those are the only things they did to her."

Sango stared at her hands, which she had unconsciously fisted. "Yura and Abi who are responsible for this."

"My guess is the same as yours," Miroku responded. "But unless Kagome-san herself tells us, that remains uncertain."

Sango tilted her head towards him. "I saw Yura carrying some cans of spray paint this morning," She said. "I thought she was going to use it for some project in the cheering club. But I guessed she used it for something else."

When Miroku did not reply, Sango shifted her attention to the scenery passing by the window but she was too angry to appreciate the view. She was angry with Yura, Abi and the rest of the girls who had probably hurt Kagome. She was even partly angry with Miroku. But most of all, she was stark raving mad at Inuyasha Takahashi.

_"I swear, Takahashi,"_ Sango thought, scowling. _"I am going to truly hurt you for what you did to Kagome."_ She was fisting her hands so tightly her that knuckles turned white.

"We're here, Sango-chan." Miroku interrupted her thoughts, oblivious of her brewing anger. "Let's go."

Sango nodded mutely and followed behind Miroku as they ascended the front steps of the mansion. Toutousai met them at the front doors. "Welcome, Kanzaki-san," the butler greeted. "And you are?" He turned his attention to Sango.

"Sango Miyabe," she answered, forcing her face to contort to a small smile.

"Daughter of the owner of Miyabe Shipping Corporation, I see," Toutousai bowed and let the two in. "Inuyasha's at his room with Kagome-san."

* * *

Inuyasha rubbed the bridge of his nose as he collapsed back into the chair by the bed. Kagome had just gone to the bathroom. Inuyasha looked at the bowl of soup one of the maids had served earlier and frowned when Kagome barely ate any of it. It was understandable that she was hungry and yet not have enough appetite to eat a lot…but still she had to at least eat more than five spoonfuls of soup if she wanted to get well sooner.

He quickly jumped on his feet when he heard a knock on his door. "Kanzaki-san and Miyabe-san are here to see you, Inuyasha," Toutousai poked his head as he cracked open the door slightly. Inuyasha had been expecting Miroku, but Sango? Inuyasha wondered if Sango had forced Miroku into bringing her with him here.

Inuyasha sighed with defeat. _"Time to accept my punishment from Higurashi's best friend then…"_

As soon as Toutousai closed the door behind him, Sango marched up to Inuyasha, her brown eyes looking completely furious. "Kanzaki told me the details, Takahashi," Sango said, her voice rising. "How could you let that happen to her?! This is all _your_ fault for being a selfish, obnoxious jerk who cares for no one else except getting what he wants!"

Inuyasha looked to the side, not meeting Sango's eye.

"Sango-chan, please calm do—" Miroku began when Sango cut him off.

"This is also partly _your_ _fault_, Kanzaki!" Sango yelled, turning around and glaring at him. "If you handn't thought that _stupid_ idea up to get Kikyo back, Takahashi would not _even_ be thinking of getting Kagome to pretend to be his girl!"

Miroku closed his mouth and looked at her guiltily.

"But _you_," Sango turned her attention back to Inuyasha, "still had the _choice_ not to use Kagome. But no, you had to resort to blackmail just to get what you want! You are so selfish!"

Sango walked on until she was just a few feet away from Inuyasha. "I can accept you being obnoxious to Kagome, Takahashi," she grounded, poking him at the chest with her finger. "But I will _not_ forgive you for letting her get hurt because you and your best friend's _stupid_ and _selfish_ idea to get an ex-girlfriend back."

Inuyasha did not move from his spot or made any attempt to block as Sango moved in to punch him.

"Don't Sango!"

Sango's fist was just an inch away from making contact with Inuyasha's face before she stopped and turned to see her best friend leaning by the wall next to the bathroom door. Inuyasha and Miroku were also stock-still as they stared at the girl clad in an immaculate silk nightgown.

"Don't Sango," Kagome repeated weakly, gently looking at her. "Please don't."

"Kagome!" Sango exclaimed, quickly rushing to her side and giving her a tight hug. "I was so worried. What happened? Who did this? How are you feeling?"

Kagome gave her a reassuring smile. "Still a little feverish but I'll live."

"Why did you stop me?" Sango asked, confused. "Takahashi deserves that! You wanted to knock the living daylights out of him yourself, remember?"

"I guess," Kagome agreed, tilting her head slightly. "Granted, he _is_ an obnoxious selfish jerk, but punching him would not change what happened to me now, would it? I don't think he wanted this to happen either. And besides," Kagome paused for a moment and looked at Inuyasha, her eyes twinkling mischievously, "he already apologized for everything." At the background, Inuyasha went scarlet with embarrassment.

"Sometimes Kagome," Sango sighed, "you're a little too nice for your own good. Are you sure you don't want me to hurt him, even just a little?"

"I'm sure," Kagome smiled weakly. "You can punch him some other time. I'm okay Sango. Don't worry."

"I'm sorry I couldn't help you when you were in trouble." Sango looked at her sadly. "What a lousy best friend I am."

"It's not your fault," Kagome patted her on the shoulder. "None of you three is to blame for what happened. It's just that I think…" Kagome paused, remembering the moment Yura and Abi told her she had stolen Inuyasha from Kikyo…how they got the breakup all wrong… She bit her lip before continuing, "the people who came after me did not know what truly happened between Kikyo and Inuyasha. Takahashi may be an obnoxious asshole most of the time, but trust me Sango that he had not intended for this incident to happen."

"What do you mean they don't know what truly happened between Kikyo and Takahashi?" Sango raised a brow before helping Kagome get back to the large four-poster scarlet bed. "You're talking about Yura and Abi, right? Along with Tsubame? How many others were there who hurt you?"

Kagome twiddled her fingers. "Hai, I was talking about them." She sighed. "What I mean is, I don't think they would hurt me if they actually knew the facts about Kikyo and Inuyasha's break—"

"What did they tell you?" Inuyasha cut in quietly.

"I…don't remember," Kagome lied, looking at her hands. That had got to be the lousiest lie she had ever told. She hoped they would not push the topic further. She heard Sango click her tongue a little impatiently.

"If you're not telling us that, tell us who else hurt you." Sango said as she put a hand on her best friend's shoulder. Kagome realized her best friend knew she was not telling the truth. "If I can't hurt Takahashi, then I'll hurt these people responsible for what happened to you even if you say they didn't really know the whole story. The point is, they still hurt you."

Kagome remained quiet. Should she tell them about Kikyo? "I don't know all of them," she said lamely.

"How many were they then?" Miroku finally spoke up. "Besides Yura, Abi and Tsubame, how many other girls were there?"

"Seven." Kagome had taken a sudden interest in the scarlet sheets as she answered. "There were ten of them all in all."

She did not have the heart to tell them, especially Inuyasha, that Kikyo was the one who locked her up at the school's rooftop. But why was she keeping that meeting with Kikyo a secret? Not that Kagome doubted they would believe her, but what Kikyo did earlier that afternoon was almost too surreal to be true with her immaculate reputation. But most of all, she did not want to break Inuyasha's heart by telling him his beloved ex-girlfriend did that to her. Inuyasha deserved to know the truth about her ex but Kagome decided he better find that out for himself, from Kikyo herself.

"I'm a little tired, Sango-chan," Kagome said before the three could interrogate her further. "And don't worry. I'll tell you if Inuyasha does something disagreeable."

Sango gave her an understanding look. "Take care, you hear?" She smiled sadly as she gave Kagome one last hug. "I'll take care of those horrible people who are responsible for what happened to you."

"Oh, and Sango, can you do me a favor?" Kagome added hastily.

Sango looked at her inquiringly. "Hmm?"

"Can you call okaa-san and tell her I'm staying at your place for some sort of group study?" Kagome looked hopeful. "Please? Okaa-san would get suspicious if she notices my hoarse voice and me sniffling if I talk to her on the phone right now."

"Of course," Sango replied kindly. She threw one last glare at Inuyasha that said, "Let her get hurt again and you die" before she followed Miroku out of the room.

* * *

Sango remained silent as he followed Miroku out of the mansion and into his car. None of them said a word to each other since they left Inuyasha's room.

They had already reached the car when Miroku decided to break the silence. "I'm sorry, Sango." He turned around and looked at her gravely.

"Like Kagome said, it wasn't your fault." Sango stared at the ground, refusing to look up to him. "If you wanted to apologize, you should go to her instead."

"Yeah, I guess." Miroku replied a little sheepishly. Thinking Sango was not in the mood to talk, Miroku opened the passenger side of the door to let her in.

"Can you turn around?" Sango asked, still not looking at him.

Miroku raised his brows, a little confused. "What?"

"Just turn around." Miroku did not miss the break in Sango's voice. "Please."

Miroku gave a small shrug before complying. He was not exactly sure what the Taekwondo girl was up to. She was probably going to stab him in the back or maybe kick him while he was off guard. Well, if that was one way to make her feel better, then so be it.

But what Sango did was something truly unexpected. She began to cry.

Miroku's eyes widened as he realized this and moved to turn around.

"Don't!" Sango protested, her voice cracking from sobbing.

Miroku hesitated for a moment before obeying. He had known Sango for quite a while already and she had not even once ever showed any signs of weakness. She had built up a reputation of being tough and strong in Shikon Gakuen. Never once did she back out on a challenge. All of the students, even the boys, knew it was unwise to tangle with the vice-captain of the Taekwondo Club. Nobody had seen her cry, perhaps with the exception of Kagome, until now. Miroku wanted to kick himself for even thinking Sango was planning to do something violent when she asked him to turn around.

"What's wrong, Sango-chan?" Miroku asked, feeling awkward he could not do anything to comfort the girl.

"It's all my fault," Sango sobbed. "I knew something was wrong and I didn't do anything! I should have talked her into telling me what it was. I knew she had a problem but I did not do anything more to it. I should have done something more! And now—"

"Kagome-san said it was not any of us' fault—"

Sango sniffled. "I still feel responsible." Her voice cracked as she spoke. "I'm sorry I blamed you and Takahashi. I was just angry. I wanted to blame someone…anyone for what happened. I just couldn't bear seeing Kagome like that when I knew I could have done something to avoid that from happening…" She started sobbing again.

Miroku sighed. He had never encountered a situation like this with any of her girlfriends. When they cried, they did it openly and never tried to hide their tears. Sango was different.

Sango had probably been holding back her tears ever since she heard Kagome got hurt. It must have taken every ounce of her will to keep her from crying when she saw Kagome's weak state and when she exploded at Inuyasha and Miroku. She acted tough, tomboyish and violent that most people forget that she was still a girl, still capable of getting hurt. Miroku realized all of this and smiled softly. He was starting to understand the violent Taekwondo girl a little bit more.

"Kagome-san did not blame any of us for what happened to her," Miroku said gently. "You should stop blaming yourself. Kagome would feel awful if she knew about this."

Sango's eyes widened when Miroku suddenly turned around.

"And besides," Miroku looked down at Sango's surprised, tear-stricken face. He wiped a tear away with his thumb. "You look better when you smile."

Sango had her mouth open slightly in sheer surprise. "Did I tell you you look cute when you're surprised?" Miroku grinned teasingly, making Sango look away, pouting slightly as she sniffled some more.

"Here." Miroku dug into his pocket and took out a neatly folded handkerchief. He handed it to Sango. "I don't have tissue so I guess this'll do. Don't worry, I didn't use it. It's clean."

Sango slowly took the handkerchief from Miroku's hand and blew her nose. "Thanks, Kanzaki," she smiled gratefully as she dried her eyes with the hanky.

Miroku let her dry her tears for a minute before speaking. "Are you hungry?"

"Why?" Sango blew her nose again.

"I'm treating you to dinner, Sango-chan," Miroku answered simply. When Sango looked at him suspiciously, he added, "It's just dinner, Sango-chan, nothing more. Don't worry."

Unexpectedly, Sango smiled warmly. "Okay, I trust you. Where are we eating this time anyway? The Blue Sakura again or some other five star restaurant?"

Miroku shook his head as he opened the passenger door for Sango. "Nope. We're eating at another place, even better than The Blue Sakura."

"Where exactly are we eating, Kanzaki?"

Miroku grinned as he slid into the driver's seat. "At WacDonald's."

Sango finally laughed.

* * *

"Why did you do that?"

"Do what?" Kagome asked innocently as she took another sip of her creamy soup, which was still warm. She was sitting Indian-style on Inuyasha's bed.

"Stop playing innocent." Inuyasha eyed her crossly as he sat a few feet away from her. "Why did you stop Sango? Why are you so nice to me?"

"Am I really that nice to you?" Kagome answered, looking amused. "Because I think you're a lot nicer than what you make yourself appear to be. You're not as _evil_ as I originally thought." The edge of Kagome's mouth quirked into a smile. "But you're still no angel though."

"What makes you say that?" Inuyasha asked coolly.

"You came back to school to look for me," Kagome answered smoothly. "You even bothered to bring somebody like me to your mansion, treat my fever, let me sleep in your large comfortable bed while you sleep in an uncomfortable chair, and let me wear one of your mother's clothes." Kagome ticked the list on her fingers. "You know you could have just dropped me home and made some believable lie to my mother so you'd be off the hook already. But you went through all of this trouble instead." She gave him a grateful smile. "Even if you did this because of guilt, I'm still thankful you took the time to help me."

"Keh." Inuyasha snorted, looking away. _"Damn. I swear this girl knows how to read minds…"_

"Now it's my turn to ask you," Kagome leaned closer to him. "Do you still love Kikyo?"

The question took Inuyasha by surprise that he almost fell off the bed. "Why do you want to know?" He frowned.

"You ask me a question, I ask you a question," Kagome replied.

Inuyasha blew at his bangs. "If you must know, yes, I do still love her."

"Oh." Inuyasha did not miss the sad look that crossed Kagome's blue orbs for a split second. He wondered remotely what she should be feeling sad about. "But didn't she broke up with you, Takahashi?"

"Yes," he answered sourly. Inuyasha did not like the way this conversation was turning out. Not one bit.

"What was her reason for breaking up with you?" Kagome stared at him, her beautiful eyes looking at him quizzically. "You looked like the perfect couple. What happened?"

Inuyasha stood up. "Too many questions, Higurashi." He headed for the balcony doors. "And that's none of your business, too." He slammed the balcony doors shut after him.

Kagome groaned inwardly. She had been so close to finding out what happened between Inuyasha and Kikyo. Placing the bowl of soup aside, she got off the bed a little unsteadily. She was still a little feverish and it made her unsteady on her feet. Mustering all of her will, she headed to the balcony.

"For goodness sakes!" Inuyasha cried out, jumping off the marble railing he was sitting on and holding Kagome straight. "You shouldn't be out here! You still have fever!"

"I wanted to say sorry." Kagome gently pried Inuyasha's arms away. "It was wrong for me to pry into your personal life like that. Sorry for being nosy."

Inuyasha slapped his forehead as he went inside and came back with a bathrobe. He shoved it into her hands. "Wear that," he ordered before sitting back again on the railings. "Geez, is that all that you came out here to say?"

Kagome put on the dark blue bathrobe. "No, actually," she admitted, walking to his side and looking at the lovely lights of Tokyo below. "Nice view you have out here, Takahashi." She rested her arms on the cold marble railing and looked at him. "Hey, isn't it dangerous sitting on the railing like that? You could fall you know."

"Cut the chitchat, Higurashi," Inuyasha said a little irritably. "What else do you want to tell me?"

Kagome carefully sat on the railing a foot away from Inuyasha. "The view's nicer up here. No wonder you like to sit here."

"What the heck do you think you're doing?" Inuyasha demanded, trying not to look worried. "You could fall you know."

"I told you that a second ago, but you didn't listen," Kagome countered. "I won't fall. Don't worry, Takahashi."

"Like hell, you're not." Inuyasha eyed her with annoyance. "You were unsteady on your feet from the fever. What makes you think you couldn't just totter off on the railing now and fall a hundred feet below to your doom?"

"Then I won't look down so I won't get dizzy."

Inuyasha sighed. There was definitely no use arguing with her. "Fine. So what else did you want to tell me?"

"Did you really mean what you said earlier?" Kagome looked at him curiously.

"Whatever do you mean?" Inuyasha asked innocently, praying she was not talking about his apology when he thought she was asleep.

"Stop playing innocent." Kagome echoed what he said minutes before. "You know. When you apologized when you thought I was asleep." Inuyasha did not fail to notice the mischievous smile on her lips. Oh, Higurashi was loving every minute of this… If he was an obnoxious asshole, Kagome was a sly little fox.

"Oh, that one," Inuyasha muttered. _"Me and my big mouth!"_ This was one of those times he wished he had a time machine… Inuyasha was glad it was quite dark outside or Kagome would have noticed how his face had achieved a shade of red unattained by the human face before.

"Well?" Kagome prodded, looking a little too cheerful. "Did you mean it?"

Inuyasha mumbled something inaudible, which sounded more like a grunt. He wanted so badly to wipe the teasing smile on Kagome's face…or get sucked into a black hole to spare himself another minute of this.

"Excuse me?" Kagome blinked. "I didn't hear that." Inuyasha's brows twitched irritably as he fumed beside her.

"Yes," Inuyasha replied grudgingly, eyes slanted. "Yes, I meant that. You happy now?"

Kagome nodded. "Thank you. And if you must know, I'll still pretend to be you're girlfriend."

Inuyasha almost slipped off the railing. "WHAT?!" Regaining his balance, he looked at her with disbelief. "Why the heck do you want to do that? You hate—no loath—pretending to be my girlfriend." He put a hand on her forehead to see if she was delirious from fever.

"I'm not joking, Takahashi." Kagome puffed her cheeks as Inuyasha removed his hand. "I did hate pretending before, but I changed my mind. And besides, people would get suspicious if we ended our 'relationship' too soon now, wouldn't they?"

_"And I want to know the _real_ reason Kikyo broke up with you,"_ she added mentally. It would explain why Kikyo lied to Abi and Yura, and why Kikyo threatened her and locked her up at the rooftop because she, Kikyo, did not want Kagome to have Inuyasha.

"Are you sure you did not hit your head or anything?" Inuyasha eyed her warily. "What's the catch?"

"Just make sure you let my mom keep her job in your family's company. _And_ don't call me bitch, wench or butt-ugly anymore. That's all."

"Fine." Inuyasha acknowledged. Kagome extended her hand and they shook each in agreement of the deal.

They stayed quiet for a couple of minutes, watching the lights of Tokyo in the distance. When Kagome began yawning, Inuyasha scooted closer and put a hand on her shoulder, pulling her towards him and letting her lean on his shoulder.

"What're you doing?" Kagome asked, a little surprised.

"I'm supposed to be your 'boyfriend' right?" Inuyasha answered with his signature smirk. "And a good boyfriend lets his 'girlfriend' borrow his shoulder when she's feeling sleepy." Kagome looked at him, eyes slanted, but she could not help being amused.

"Let's get one thing clear," Kagome pointed out, yawning some more. "Even if I agreed to still _pretend_ to be your girl, I _still_ _don't_ like you."

"The feeling's mutual, Higurashi." Inuyasha smirked back. "Now sleep already."

**A/N:** Yay! I finished it! Finally!

Um, was that fluff? O.o I've never written fluff before so I'm really sorry if that wasn't at par with your standards of fluffiness. gets clobbered by clubs and lightning bolts from reviewers

What will happen to Yura, Abi and all the other girls who harassed Kagome? What are Sango and Inuyasha's plans for them? What about Kikyo? What's this little archery tournament the Archery Club is going to hold at a school event? Will Kagome join? Dum dum dum…

Well, what do you think? Was it good or bad? Tell me what you think.


	12. Crime and Punishment

Wow, it has been almost two months since I last updated. (O.o) Man, that's a REALLY long time… _::notices a mob of readers with rotten vegetables and torches growling nearby::_ Don't hurt me. Ack! _::gets pummeled with rotten veggies::_

I just finished prelim exams last week and we have midterms in about two weeks. Can you believe that? College sucks…

Anyways, I'm really sorry for not updating for a really, really long time. I'm very sorry for keeping you guys waiting for too long. I was planning to upload this last week, but I was not content with the story so I tweaked it until I felt it was good enough.

Also, thanks a million for all of you who read and reviewed. I just love your reviews (raves, rants, suggestions, all of it). Six hundred reviews. Wow. I never expected to get this many. You guys rock! _::hands reviewers ten tons of takoyaki::_

Shout outs go to **Yuri Kaze** (thanks for renewing your support! ), **ShadowRenaman** (really appreciate it for telling me about the fic in MediaMiner! ) and the rest of you people who continue to read my fic.

**The Substitute **

**Crime and Punishment**

_ Kagome stood stock still as Kikyo gave her a tight hug. "I told you you'd never have Inuyasha, Higurashi-san." Kikyo released her and looked at her triumphantly. _

_Kagome opened her mouth to speak, but she was too numb to talk. She watched as Kikyo walked over to Inuyasha and gave him a kiss on the lips. The kiss seemed to last an eternity before Inuyasha gently pulled away and gave Kagome, who was silently watching with mouth dumbly open, a small salute._

_ "Thanks Higurashi," Inuyasha smirked. "I couldn't have done it without you." _

_ Inuyasha took Kikyo's hand and they started to walk away. _

_ Kagome stood rooted on the spot. How did this happen? Didn't Yura and the rest of the girls just harass her, and didn't just Kikyo lock her up at the rooftop? When did Kikyo and Inuyasha suddenly get back together? And what was that ache in her chest when she saw Inuyasha and Kikyo kiss? _

_ "This is all a dream, you know." _

_ Kagome whirled around to see her old self, complete with braids and glasses, looking at her with a wry smile. _

_ "I've never encountered a dream where the characters in the dream actually tell me I'm really dreaming," Kagome blurted out before suddenly looking thoughtful. What in the world did she just say? "Man, I actually say the weirdest things in my dream…" _

_ Her braided self laughed lightly before turning serious. "You know it's wrong to keep things from Inuyasha and Sango, Kagome. You kept it a secret from them that Yura, Abi and the other girls threatened you with that note. Look what happened now." Kagome watched as her braided self sighed. "And now you're keeping it from Inuyasha that his beloved girlfriend was the one who locked you up in the rooftop and threatened you more harm." _

_ Kagome blew at her bangs. This was new. Never had she been lectured by herself in her dreams before. "But he would be hurt if he knew," Kagome replied. _

_ "How do you know?" Her braided self countered. _

_ "Because—" _

_ "Since when did you start caring if something would hurt Inuyasha? You considered him as your mortal enemy, right? Why do you care now?" _

_ Kagome frowned. Her conscience, or whoever this was, was starting to get annoying. "I _don't_ care about him," Kagome retorted, putting extra emphasis on the 'don't' part. "I just don't want to see people in general get hurt." _

_"Right…" Her braided conscience nodded skeptically. "And it was just out of the goodness of your heart that you decided to still pretend even if he already stopped blackmailing you."_

_ "It _is_ out of the goodness of my heart!" Kagome pouted. "And if you're my conscience, aren't you supposed to promote goodness and say something like," Kagome cleared her throat and said in a soft, angelic voice, "'Even if Takahashi is your mortal enemy, Kagome, you should stop plotting evil ideas like strapping him to a rocket and sending him off to depths of space.'" _

_ "I _am_ your conscience, sort of," the braided Kagome acknowledged. "And I'm telling you now that it's not a good idea to keep this from Inuyasha. He may not be hurt now, but don't you think he'll hurt more when he learns of this later?" _

_ "But it's not my responsibility to tell him this," Kagome argued back. "This is none of my business. This is a personal problem between Kikyo and him. And besides, there is no way he'd believe me if I did tell him that. Sango and Miroku would believe me, but not him." _

_ "All of this is already your business ever since you decided to help Inuyasha." Her conscience sighed. "My, you are stubborn… Oh well, if that's your decision, so be it." Her conscience took off her glasses and wiped it on the tip of her shirt. "Do you know why I'm telling you to be honest with Inuyasha, Kagome?" _

_ Kagome's eyes slanted. "Because he is a dense idiot and this news won't affect him at all?" _

_ Her conscience rolled her eyes. "No, my sarcastic self. Because Inuyasha deserves someone better. He is destined for somebody else." _

_ "But Kikyo is the one for him, right? She's Miss Perfect, Miss Popular, Miss Nice and Responsible while he's Mister Filthy Rich, Mister Popular and Mister Obnoxious. They're like peanut butter and jelly." At the background, her conscience sweat-dropped. "Who else should he be with?" Kagome asked. _

_ Her conscience smiled mysteriously. "If she was perfect, then she would not have broken up with him. Even if she told you she didn't have a choice, she still had…she was just afraid to take that choice. And now she's lying to everyone." _

_ "What was the situation that made her choose over Takahashi?" _

_ Her conscience walked up to her and gave her a hug. "That's for you to know, Kagome," she whispered into Kagome's ear. "And when you know what she had to choose over, you decide if it is still right to help Inuyasha get her back." Her conscience tilted Kagome's chin. "You know that mysterious ache you felt in your chest when you saw them kiss? You'll feel it again. That ache is not something caused by sickness but by emotion. There is only a thin border between love and hate, Kagome. The person you loathe may be the person meant for you." _

_"What do you mean?" Kagome looked confused. "Do all consciences talk in riddles like this in dreams?" _

There was a sudden flash of gold and silver before Kagome heard ringing. Kagome groggily opened her eyes and found herself staring at the canopy of Inuyasha's four-poster bed.

Kagome sleepily sat upright and rubbed her eyes. Her head hurt slightly when she sat up and she still felt slightly feverish. It was a good thing though that her cold had disappeared.

_ "That has got to be the weirdest dream…"_ She thought, yawning. _"I hardly understood what my conscience was trying to tell me."_ Kagome fiddled with the scarlet and gold silk sheets. _"And what were those flashes of gold and silver all about?"_

Kagome frowned when the ringing that woke her up still persisted. Inuyasha probably left his cell phone since house phones don't have polytones that play "Frosty the Snowman." Inuyasha could choose the weirdest of ring tones since it was the middle of May, and there was not a trace of snow in Tokyo, much less a snowman.

Kagome picked up the box tied with a golden ribbon that was lying on the chair Inuyasha sat on last night. Kagome pressed her ear on the box and realized the ringing was coming from inside. Pulling the golden ribbon out of its knot, she took off the box cover and picked the cell phone noisily ringing inside. The caller registered as "Inuyasha the Great."

"Yes, Takahashi?" Kagome groggily answered.

"Rise and shine sleepyhead," Inuyasha greeted on the phone. Kagome could just picture him smirking. "I didn't just wake you now, did I?" He asked in a syrupy voice. It was so obvious he had planned to wake her up and bug her about it.

"Of course not," Kagome replied calmly. "Not at all, Takahashi."

Inuyasha was quiet for a moment. "Are you still feeling feverish?"

"Yeah, a little." Kagome blinked and felt her forehead. "Why?"

"I was expecting you to yell at me. I had the impression you were not a morning person when rudely awakened."

Kagome giggled. "I'm a little hoarse after yelling at you all the time so I'll let this one pass in the meantime."

Inuyasha was silent on the line.

"Oi, are you still there Takahashi?"

Kagome heard him snort. "Yeah, I'm still here." Inuyasha sighed. Kagome could just picture him looking like a cute disappointed little puppy for not being able to annoy her. "Anyways, it's already noon, if you hadn't noticed."

Kagome's eyes widened. "It is?" She looked around and noticed all the curtains were down.

"Yes, it is noon, silly. If you haven't noticed, I had the curtains pulled down to keep the room dark so you could sleep some more. Toutousai probably has lunch ready for you right about now. You can call the staff using the intercom whenever you need anything else."

"Aren't I going to school?" Kagome inquired, sounding hopeful. "Even just for the afternoon classes?"

"For pity's sake, Higurashi," Inuyasha mumbled. "Don't you think of anything else besides studying? One of these days your face is going to look like the page of a book."

"But I have grades to maintain for my scholarship!" Kagome retorted.

"You don't have to sound so hysterical, you know," Inuyasha muttered. "You're still sick. You'll be happy to know I talked to all our teachers. You're excused on your classes yesterday afternoon and today due to," Inuyasha cleared his throat, "unfortunate circumstances."

Kagome's brows shot up. "You didn't tell them?"

"Not yet." Inuyasha replied. "But they'll find out really soon."

Kagome was tempted to ask him what he meant by that but decided against it. "Takahashi?"

"Yeah?"

"Thank you again," Kagome said gently, as she hugged one of the silk pillows. "You've already done so much. I don't know how to thank you for everything you've done for me."

Inuyasha snorted. "You can thank me by stop acting all nice and grateful like that."

"What's wrong with me being all nice and grateful to you?" Kagome rolled her eyes. "You're not allergic to these stuff are you, prince of darkness?"

"No, it's because the sudden change in your attitude is starting to really freak me out. The Higurashi I knew just last week was uncute, short-tempered, clumsy and a little violent."

Kagome popped a vein. "I _was_ not!"

* * *

Inuyasha held the phone a foot away from his ear. "Jeez woman, you don't have to scream so loud."

"You should talk," Kagome said on the line. He could just picture her popping yet another vein. "I am _not_ short-tempered, clumsy and violent. Homely, maybe, but definitely not violent…"

"Okay, you're not violent, just brutal." Inuyasha grinned when he heard Kagome growl. "You know you're not homely. Cut the crap, uncute slightly vicious clumsy quick-tempered nerdy girl."

"You never run out of insults, do you, Takahashi?" Kagome retorted challengingly. "Two can play that game. You're a moronic short-tempered obnoxious blackmailing arrogant violent nasty spoiled idiot."

"Is that so, Higurashi? Well you're…" Inuyasha was going to reply with another round of name-calling when he spotted a familiar group of students. "Look, I'd love to exchange more insults with you but I've got to go."

"What made you stop in the middle of an insult?" She asked suspiciously. "Are you going to do something nasty to someone right now?"

"No, I'm going to eat lunch," Inuyasha lied. "See you, Higurashi." He ended the call before Kagome could interrogate him further and entered the back door of the school gym.

Besides plotting various schemes, revenge also happened to be one of Inuyasha's specialties.

* * *

Sango looked up as the gym doors swung open. She was standing in the middle of the school gym. Only a few lights were on, all lighted on the area she was standing.

"It's about time you girls got here," she said evenly, crossing her arms on her chest and calmly watching the group of girls heading towards her.

"What did you call us over for?" Yura blurted out as she and nine other girls stalked towards the Taekwondo girl. "What is this all about, Sango?"

"That's Miyabe to you, Kashiwahara," Sango corrected coldly.

The gym doors suddenly closed behind them, leaving the entire gym in darkness except for the small spot around which Sango was standing.

"Don't mind the door," Sango said as she glared at the ten girls standing in front of her. "Your business here is with me." She took out a small piece of paper and stared at it for a second. "Now to make sure you're all present and accounted for." Sango cleared her throat. "Yura Kashiwahara, check. Abi Takeda, check." She called off eight more people before putting the list back to her uniform skirt pocket. "It's nice you all decided to honor my invitation. I'm glad."

"What is with these notes, Miyabe?" Yura stepped nearer Sango and pulled out a small computer printed note from her pocket. "Why did you want to meet all of us here at the gym?"

"Stop playing innocent, Kashiwahara." Sango tilted her head and smiled coldly. "I am perfectly sure you girls know why."

"That little bitch told you about us, didn't she?"

Sango's eyes narrowed and she took a deep breath to calm herself down. "She is not a bitch, Kashiwahara," She grounded out. "I suggest you call my best friend by her real name or risk getting hurt. Badly hurt." Sango cracked her knuckles threateningly. "And if you must know, we had to force her to tell us. She was even trying to protect you girls. It was through pure deduction and personal connections that made us identify the rest of the girls you were with."

"A likely story," Abi looked at her skeptically.

Sango turned to her. "Kagome told me you guys would not have done that to her if you knew what really happened between Inuyasha and Kikyo."

"Please Miyabe," Abi sounded annoyed. "Kagome is a big fat liar who is just manipulating her newfound popularity and influence that she got from Inuyasha."

"Take that back, Takeda," Sango eyed her dangerously. "You know that's not true. You're just saying that just to get some dirt on Kagome."

Abi quieted down but did not make any move to take back what she said.

"You are all saying these things about Kagome based on pure prejudice," Sango responded. "You don't even know her. What has Kagome done to any of you?" The ten girls stayed silent. Sango snorted before continuing. "I thought so. She hasn't done anything wrong to any of you. But you girls, on the other hand, bullied her, tied her with duct tape, sprayed her with paint and locked her up at the rooftop in the middle of a rain storm!"

"Now wait just a damn second!" Tsubame reacted angrily. "We certainly did _not_ lock her up at the rooftop!"

* * *

"It's nice you all decided to honor my invitation. I'm glad." Sango's voice reverberated on Shikon Gakuen's public address system.

Kikyo, who had just arrived at the cafeteria since Yura and Abi told her to go ahead without them, froze midstride. Just a second ago, the school address system started off with Sango's voice ticking a list of names, which included Yura and Abi. What was going on?

"What is with these notes, Miyabe?" A voice Kikyo recognized as Yura's suddenly spoke up. "Why do you want to meet us here at the gym?"

Kikyo's heart beat painfully. She instantly realized what was going on. Sango, along with a few friends of hers, had probably rigged the school's public address system so the whole school could hear Yura, Abi and the rest of the girls confess to hurting Kagome.

Kikyo looked around and noticed all the people in the cafeteria had stopped doing what they were currently engaged in to listen to the conversation on the speaker system. Kikyo bit her lip. Her best friends were going to be hated by the entire school if this conversation continued to be broadcasted.

Unnoticed by anyone, she quickly exited the cafeteria. There was only one thing left to do: go to the school's address system office and turn the broadcast off.

Racing through the corridors, Kikyo's mind whirled. This was all her fault. She had lied to her friends and it caused them to go after Kagome because of twisted information from her about the breakup. And she had to make it worse by locking Kagome in the rooftop.

Reaching the school's speaker office, Kikyo twisted the knob, only to find out that it was locked. Controlling herself not to say any of the profanities that she had heard Inuyasha use, she opted to knocking on the door impatiently.

"Whoever is in there," she said urgently, "please open the door."

"Take that back, Takeda." Sango's threatening voice rang all over school. "You know that's not true. You're just saying that just to get some dirt on Kagome."

Kikyo fisted her hands and tried to will the feelings of guilt and regret to leave her chest. But they wouldn't.

The door suddenly swung open, making Kikyo look up. Leaning on the doorframe was none other than Shikon Gakuen's infamous playboy.

"Sanada-san," Miroku greeted politely, giving Kikyo a smile that showed one of his dimples. "What can I do for you?"

Kikyo got straight to the point. "Turn the school address system off, Kanzaki-kun. Right now."

Miroku looked at her calmly. "I can't do that, Sanada-san."

"Why not?" Kikyo demanded, trying not to raise her voice. "What you are doing is against school regulations. The school address system cannot be used for anything except—"

"Important school announcements," Miroku finished for her. "This _is_ an important announcement that everyone should know about. And besides, Principal Ookubo himself gave us permission to use this address system this lunchtime, so we are not breaking any rules whatsoever." Miroku gave her a smug smile.

Kikyo frowned ever so slightly. That 'us' Miroku was talking about was probably him and Inuyasha. That was bad news. Miroku and Inuyasha were infamous for plotting schemes against unfortunate students who managed to get on Inuyasha's bad side. And with Sango in on their scheme against Yura, Abi and the rest of the girls who harassed Kagome, the outcome of all of this would be completely horrible for her best friends.

"Fine," Kikyo said quietly. She knew Miroku would not budge even if she threatened to shoot him full of arrows. "I'll just have to stop Miyabe-san and Inuyasha at the gym then." She briskly walked towards the direction of the school gym.

As soon as Kikyo turned her back to him, Miroku turned to the person currently operating the address system.

"Keep broadcasting until I signal you not to, okay Mushin?" Miroku gave his family employee a quick pat on the shoulder. "I have to warn my friend that his ex is coming. Many thanks once again for helping us with the public address system, my good friend."

Not waiting for Mushin's reply, Miroku bolted out of the room and took the opposite direction Kikyo went.

_ "For once, my fan club finally had some use,"_ Miroku thought, grinning, as slid down the stair banister. Escaping his fan club of rabid fan girls made him uncover a few handy shortcuts in the school known only to a few people. Landing without a hitch, he exited the main school building and headed for the gym a few meters away.

* * *

"You're lying." Sango looked at them with disbelief.

"You heard her, Miyabe," Yura snapped, looking at her with narrowed eyes. "We didn't lock your beloved friend at the rooftop. We had her locked inside a janitor's closet." Yura rolled her eyes. "If you're going to accuse us, at least get the information straight."

Sango remained quiet as she digested all this information in. Yura and the others certainly didn't look like they were lying when they said they had locked Kagome somewhere else.

Sango kicked herself mentally. _"Kagome! You kept something secret again!"_ She thought. When this was over, Sango made a mental note to force Kagome into promising not to keep anything important from her, even if Sango had to resort feeding Kagome pepper-filled takoyakis to make her best friend promise.

"You know what," Yura looked at her watch, "this is a complete waste of time. Lunch is almost over. We're leaving." She and the others turned to leave.

Sango grabbed Yura's arm and eyed her angrily. "I'm not done with you girls yet."

Yura looked at her calmly. "What are you going to do, Miyabe?" She drawled, smiling when she saw Sango's eye twitch irritably. "So we did all those to Kagome, minus that locking her up at the rooftop part. Big deal." She pulled her arm from Sango's grasp. "Weeds like her need to be taught a lesson. Higurashi deserved what she got for being a complete bitch. The one who locked her at the rooftop did us a great favor."

Sango, who was forcing herself to think of happy thoughts to squeeze any idea of turning violent, finally had it. Fisting her hand, Sango moved in to punch Yura squarely in the face when she stopped midway. Instead of punching her, Sango opted for a slightly milder approach. She slapped Yura on the face, making the girl fall back from the force of the blow.

"How dare you do that!" Abi screamed as she and Tsubame caught Yura before she fell to the floor.

"And how dare you say that against Kagome!" She returned heatedly. "She should be thankful I didn't actually punch or hit her harder since she's a girl."

Abi marched up to Sango to retaliate when the Taekwondo girl grabbed her arm and twisted it. "Don't even think about hitting me, Takeda," Sango hissed dangerously. "You don't know what I'm capable of doing. Don't force me to hurt you too." With that, she roughly let go of Abi's arm and turned her back to them.

"Kagome deserved everything she got for coming between Kikyo and Inuyasha," Yura spat out as Sango took a step to walk away. "If it wasn't for her, the two of them would still be together."

Sango stood stock still. Miroku and Kagome had told her bits about the breakup, but none of their stories ever said Kagome stealing Inuyasha from Kikyo. And she doubted Kagome had the slightest thing to do with the breakup of Shikon Gakuen's perfect couple. She was about to challenge Yura's statement when somebody else spoke up.

"Who told you that?"

The other lights of the darkened gymnasium turned on to reveal Inuyasha standing near the gym doors with a blanket-covered grocery cart at his side.

Inuyasha's amethyst eyes glinted angrily. "Why are you spreading that bullshit, Kashiwahara?"

* * *

Kagome grabbed the gift box where she took out the cell phone to return it back when she noticed a piece of paper at the bottom of the box.

Picking the paper, she realized it was a short note from Inuyasha.

_Hi Higurashi! _

_ Since your violent best friend threatened to kill me in cold blood if I let that incident yesterday happen again, I'm giving you this little present. Since you're too poor to own one, I took the liberty of buying you the latest model. You owe me another one. _

_ Hate, _

_ Inuyasha _

_P.S. _

_ I already had mine's, Sango's and the perv's numbers stored in the phonebook and set at the speed dial in case of emergency and all that shit. _

_P.P.S._

_I'm off to school early today for some business. Anyways, much as I like to wake you up and bask in your uncute early morning appearance, I decided to be a gentleman this time and let sleeping dogs—I mean, sick girls—lie. You should see yourself when you're asleep…_

Kagome stared at Inuyasha's deformed drawing of her face with drool sliding on the side of her mouth. Kagome, with eyes slanted and cheeks tinted pink, rubbed the side of her mouth self-consciously. "Idiot," she said under her breath.

Right at that moment, the bedroom door flew open, making Kagome jump.

"Good afternoon, Kagome," a woman greeted. She was wearing a simple white long-sleeved polo and well ironed black slacks matched by black shoes. Her shiny black hair was tied in a low ponytail. If Kagome was not mistaken, she was just a few years younger than her own mother. "It's nice to see you're already up. Are you feeling much better now?"

Kagome smiled. "I am. Thanks for asking, Miss?"

"Izayoi," the woman answered, her violet eyes twinkling. "I'm one of the older staff around. Toutousai told me to serve you lunch and show you around the mansion until Inuyasha got back."

Kagome was about to get up when Izayoi sat beside her on the bed. "Did Inuyasha give you that?" She asked, eyeing the new phone Kagome was holding.

Kagome nodded while secretly tucking the note from Inuyasha back into the gift box.

Izayoi looked amused. "Inuyasha hardly gives gifts to anyone unless he and that person are pretty close. Are you his new girlfriend?"

Kagome's eyes almost bugged out. "No, of course not," Kagome answered, half embarrassed, half annoyed. _"He is just doing this out of guilt and because Sango threatened to murder him if I get hurt again,"_ she added mentally.

"I'm just kidding," Izayoi said placatingly when she saw Kagome pout. "Toutousai told me you two don't actually get along well as he had observed when Inuyasha gave you a free makeover. What was that makeover all about anyway?"

Okay, so Inuyasha never told any of his staff his little plot to use her to make his ex-girlfriend jealous. "I don't know," Kagome replied flatly. "Maybe it was one of his ways to embarrass me or something. I'm sorry if I'm pretty hostile to your master."

"Don't be. Inuyasha deserves to be dumped with orange soda once in a while," Izayoi answered, brushing a strand of hair away from Kagome's face. "I've got to admit, that makeover did you good. You're beautiful." Izayoi smiled when Kagome turned scarlet from the compliment. She stood up and extended her hand to help Kagome up. "You should be flattered, you know."

Kagome had the urge to say that she would rather not have had the makeover, if that was what she was supposed to be flattered about, to spare herself from getting entangled with the whole make-the-ex-jealous scheme. Kagome took the woman's outstretched hand and stood up. "Why, Izayoi-san?" She asked as she followed Izayoi out the bedroom.

"You're the first girl Inuyasha ever brought to the mansion," Izayoi looked at Kagome over her shoulder. "He never brought any of the girls he dated or any of his girlfriends including…who was the most recent one? Toutousai said Inuyasha really had a thing for her."

"Kikyo Sanada," Kagome replied, suddenly looking sad. Izayoi did not seem to notice her expression.

"And you're the first girl who slept in the mansion, and on Inuyasha's bed too," Izayoi continued. "And he let you wear his mother's nightgown. Maybe there's more to your hate-hate relationship than meets the eye."

"I doubt that, Izayoi-san." Kagome smiled politely, resisting the urge to snort. "Atlantis would have to rise from the bottom of the ocean before me and Takahashi ever feel something other than hate for each other."

* * *

Inuyasha advanced towards Yura, who turned three shades paler and looked like she regretted everything she said earlier.

"Never go about spreading stories you don't have the slightest idea about," Inuyasha said, his voice dripping with threat and venom. "That goes especially to you, Kashiwahara and the rest of you girls."

"Open your eyes, Inuyasha!" Yura retorted, ignoring the fact that talking back to an angry Inuyasha was like digging yourself a deeper grave. "Higurashi is just using you to gain popularity and influence! What about Kikyo?"

Inuyasha seemed to get more ticked off when Yura mentioned Kikyo's name. "You don't have any idea what you're talking about, Kashiwahara!" Inuyasha growled, glaring at her. "Kagome didn't have anything to do with that." He pulled out the red note from his pocket and showed it to the girls.

"She told you about the threat, didn't she?"

"Use your head, Kashiwahara," Inuyasha replied in a low voice, his violet orbs glinting menacingly at the girls in front of him. "If she had told me that some anonymous people, who turned out to be you girls, had threatened her, she would not have gotten hurt at all yesterday. Duh. I would have never let you bitches hurt her if I knew."

Yura opened her mouth to speak again when Inuyasha cut her off. "Not another word Yura!" He snarled. "Make another sound and I'll make sure to turn your life a living hell here in Shikon Gakuen so you'll find it tempting to transfer to another school!" Yura instantly shrunk back.

On cue, Sango arrived at Inuyasha's side with the blanket-covered grocery cart. Sango gave the girls a smug smile before she pulled the blanket off. The girls gasped. The cart was chock full of open cans of paint of different colors.

Inuyasha grabbed two buckets of paint. "Now be good girls and stay still," he ordered. "I don't want to waste a drop of paint."

With that, he dumped the two buckets of paint right on Yura and Abi's heads. Sango followed suit and within seconds all the ten girls were dripping head to foot with multi-colored paints.

"How does it feel to get a dose of your own medicine?" Sango looked at them, smiling with pleasure. "Revenge really is sweet, ne?" Yura and the rest of the girls could only glare at her.

As Inuyasha poured the last bucket over their heads, the back door of the gym burst open to reveal an out of breath Miroku. "You know who's coming," he announced, straightening himself up. His gaze wandered to the girls dripping with paint. "Nice work of art you two are making," he said, amused. "Can I do the final touches?"

Inuyasha nodded and dusted the imaginary dust on his hands. He watched as Sango pulled out two sacks from under the cart and tossed one over to Miroku. The two of them then proceeded showering the girls with generous amounts of feather.

The main gym doors opened. Inuyasha looked up calmly to see his old girlfriend standing at the doorway with a large crowd of students curiously ogling over her shoulder.

"What is going on here, Inuyasha?" Kikyo demanded.

* * *

"Does Takahashi live with anybody else besides the mansion staff?" Kagome inquired. Izayoi had led her to a terrace that had a great view of the mansion's vast and well-manicured gardens. There was a small table laden with tasty foods including Kagome's favorite oden.

Izayoi shook her head. "No," she replied evenly, her eyes wandering to the gardens. "His parents are usually always away on business and his older brother is already living somewhere else since he already works at Tetsusaiga Corporation."

"Oh." Kagome sat down and stared at the oden, which was especially cooked for her, and sighed. "That's sad to hear. It must be really lonely to live in a large house all by yourself without your family. Maybe that's one reason why he's so obnoxious and mean."

Izayoi, who sat down at the opposite chair, turned to Kagome and gave her a small smile.

* * *

Inuyasha tore his gaze away from his former girlfriend. He knew she was more than just a little upset that he had retaliated to her best friends for hurting Kagome. Kikyo's face still remained pretty stoic but Inuyasha could see in her gray eyes that she was not happy. His heart ached. He did not want to see Kikyo upset but his conscience would never let him sleep if he let Yura and the other girls get away without getting their just desserts for what they did to Kagome.

Deciding not to answer Kikyo's question, he headed towards the main gym doors with the intention of just walking away. Miroku and Sango trailed behind him, with Sango not missing the opportunity of taking a few pictures of the paint covered girls with a Polaroid camera before following the two boys to the exit.

"Why did you do this, Inuyasha?" Kikyo voiced softly when Inuyasha walked past her.

Inuyasha stopped but did not look at her. "You know why, Kikyo," he replied quietly, looking straight ahead. "You and the rest of the school all heard it on the address system." He then continued his way, with Sango and Miroku trailing behind him.

"Those girls deserved what they got." Kikyo heard some students in the crowd murmur as soon as Inuyasha was out of earshot. "What a bunch of bitches those girls are!"

"How dare they do that to poor Kagome!" Other voices spoke up. "Yura and those other girls should also be locked at the rooftop in the middle of a rainstorm so they would see how it feels!"

Kikyo had had enough. She was not going to stand here and listen to the students hurl insults at her best friends. Using her authority as student body vice president, she quickly dispersed the crowd.

Before she entered the gym to help her painted and feathered friends, Kikyo stole one last glance at Inuyasha's retreating figure. _"Inuyasha…I'm sorry,"_ she mentally apologized, feeling the heavy weight of regret and guilt in her chest. She looked down and sighed before entering the gym.

Inuyasha, after walking a short distance, looked over his shoulder and saw Kikyo retreat into the gym. _"I'm sorry, Kikyo,"_ he thought, his eyes looking slightly melancholic. _"I had to do what I had to do. I could never forgive myself if I let your friends get away with hurting Kagome."_

Inuyasha suddenly snapped out of his trance when Miroku put an arm on his shoulder. Inuyasha, eyes slanted, looked to his right and noticed Miroku was in the middle of him and Sango, not to mention his best friend also had placed an arm on Sango's shoulder. The Taekwondo girl certainly did not look too pleased about it. Miroku was definitely going to orbit the Earth like an artificial satellite if he keeps that arm on Sango's shoulder too long.

"Isn't it good to see you two work together for a common good after a short pep talk from me?" Miroku chimed, oblivious of the annoyed stares Inuyasha and Sango were shooting him. "I could clearly remember it was just last night when Sango-chan almost punched—"

"SHUT UP!" The two growled in unison.

* * *

Kagome yawned as she placed aside the book she was reading. She looked at the watch on the coffee table and noticed it was past three in the afternoon. Kagome stood up and stretched. She had been at the mansion library for more than two hours. Izayoi said she had an important errand to run so Kagome gladly stayed at the library to read.

Walking over to one of the tall bookshelves, Kagome was about to pull out a book when somebody tugged at her skirt. Kagome looked down to see a boy with orange-brown hair looking up at her. He had bright green eyes and looked about four or five years old.

"Hi!" The boy greeted brightly, giving her a huge grin underneath his wide yellow kindergarten hat. "I'm Shippou. What's your name, onee-chan?"

Kagome bent down. "I'm Kagome, Shippou-chan. Where are you from?" Right at that moment, Kagome noticed Shippou had a bushy tail hidden under his little school backpack and fox feet. _"He's a youkai,"_ Kagome mentally observed.

"Izayoi-obasan() brought me over to see Inuyasha!" Shippou replied energetically. "But he's not home yet." Kagome hid a grin as Shippou pouted cutely.

"Hi Kagome!" Izayoi's voice suddenly reverberated on the library intercom. "I think Shippou is already there at the library. Can you be a dear and watch him for me?"

Kagome headed over the intercom. "No problem, Izayoi-san." She answered. Turning back to Shippou, she eyed him curiously. "How is Inuyasha related to you, Shippou-chan? And what brings you here?"

"He's my cousin," Shippou explained, taking out a small sketchbook. "We have an assignment in school that said we should draw three of our favoritest relatives. Inuyasha's one of my favorite relatives besides my parents so I decided I should draw him. I have to see him in person to get an accurate drawing of him."

"You're related to Inuyasha?" Kagome's brows shot up. She didn't know Inuyasha had youkai blood in his family.

"Wanna see my drawings?" Shippou asked, cutting Kagome's thoughts.

Kagome smiled. "Sure. I'd love to." She lifted Shippou up and placed him on her lap after she plopped back down at the armchair she had been sitting on earlier.

Shippou gave her a wide toothy grin and opened his sketchbook. "This is the drawing I made when I was at the playground."

Kagome nodded amusedly as Shippou pointed at the drawing on the first page. "That's a nice pig, Shippou-chan," she commented.

"It's a cat."

* * *

Inuyasha slammed on the brakes and stared at the huge plastic bag at the passenger seat. "How the hell am I supposed to carry this thing inside?" He muttered, resisting the urge to throw the bag at the nearest trash dump. Sighing wearily, he stepped outside the car and slung the bag over his shoulder. "I feel like Santa Claus with this…"

Toutousai met him at the mansion doors. "Good afternoon, Inuyasha. You're home early." The butler blinked. "And what's with that bag? That better not contain stink bombs like last time or else…"

"Shut up, jijii!" Inuyasha sent him an annoyed glare. "It doesn't. Where's Higurashi?"

"She's at the gardens at the back," Toutousai replied. Inuyasha quickly walked towards the direction of the gardens when Toutousai added, "I think you should also know that—"

"Whatever it is, jijii, it'll have to wait," Inuyasha mumbled, adjusting the huge plastic bag on his shoulder as he stomped off.

Reaching the door that led towards the back gardens, Inuyasha kicked the doors open and stepped into the large immaculate patio. "Oi, Higurashi!"

He noticed two heads, one black while the other brown, bobbing behind a hedge. Walking over, he saw Kagome, who was now wearing a simple green dress, tickling Shippou, who was laughing hysterically on the grass and trying to pry Kagome's hands off his belly.

"You're home early," Kagome looked up.

"Apparently, no one had told Sagara-sensei that Himura-sensei was sent off to Kyoto by Principal Ookubo to deal with a teacher who's asking for benefits after he got burned or something," Inuyasha replied as he put the bag down. "We didn't have class on the last period since Sagara-sensei went after Himura-sen—" Before Inuyasha could finish, Shippou glomped onto him.

"Inuyasha!" Shippou squealed. "I missed you!"

Inuyasha tried to shake Shippou off from him. "What in the world are you doing here?!" Unfortunately for him, Shippou stuck like a leech on his torso. "Who the heck brought you here?!"

"I did."

Inuyasha slowly turned around. "MOM?!" His amethyst eyes were as round as saucers as he stared at Izayoi walking towards them. "Why are you here?"

"Is that any way to greet your mother?" Izayoi cooed. "I missed you Inu-chan!" Reaching her son's side, she pinched him on the cheek as Inuyasha groaned in embarrassment.

Shippou immediately got off Inuyasha and headed for Kagome's lap. Kagome, on the other hand, was too surprised to pat the kit on the head. Izayoi was Inuyasha's mother? Kagome had the weird feeling that Izayoi was indeed related to Inuyasha but shrugged the feeling off when Izayoi told her she was just one of the staff.

"Aren't you supposed to be in America right now?" Inuyasha asked, rubbing his pinched cheek. "When the hell did you get back?"

"Late last night," Izayoi replied. "But I didn't let the staff tell you I had arrived since I was told you were busy attending to the needs of a certain girl in your room." She winked at Kagome.

Inuyasha's face burned. "I didn't do anything like that to her!"

"Why did you let her sleep in your room then?" Izayoi countered, obviously loving her son all flustered. "We do have thirty-five guest rooms."

"Because my bed was the most comfortable one in the house!" Inuyasha was turning redder by the millisecond. "And I had to watch over her because it was my fault she got sick!"

"You don't have to yell, Inuyasha," Izayoi smiled. "I'm just teasing." Her cell phone suddenly rang. "Well, you kids better stay good, okay?" She patted Inuyasha, who was about a head taller than her, making him scowl. "And Kagome, do stay for dinner." Izayoi turned to Kagome and gave her a quick smile before walking off and answering the call.

As soon as she disappeared inside the mansion, Inuyasha turned to Kagome. "When did you meet her?" He asked, frowning.

"This lunchtime." Kagome stood up. Shippou scampered away to get his sketchbook and crayons. "She said she was one of the staff."

"Typical of her." Inuyasha loosened his tie and blew at his bangs.

Kagome's eyes then wandered to the bag at Inuyasha's feet. "What's that, Takahashi?"

"Your best friend told me to give it to you," Inuyasha answered. "She said that since people were too intimidated to come to me, the students came to her to send you their get well greetings." He watched as Kagome knelt down to open the bag. It was full of get-well cards, shiny balloons and stuffed toys. On top of all the gifts, there was a binder that had Kagome's name on it.

Kagome picked it up, opened it and realized that it was from Sango. Sitting down on a nearby garden bench that she had sat with Shippou earlier, Kagome opened the binder. Her friend had scribbled a quick message and pasted a few Polaroid pictures of what looked like paint monsters with feathers.

_Hi Kagome! _

_ Me, Kanzaki and Takahashi had taken good care of Yura and all those other girls. _

_ Get well soon, you hear? Miss you! _

_ Hugs and kisses, _

_ Sango_

Kagome squinted at the pictures and realized that one of the faces behind the paints was Yura. She blinked in surprise. So this was the "business" Inuyasha said in his note earlier…In all honesty, Kagome was quite glad Yura and the other girls got their just punishments, however, another part of Kagome felt a pang of sympathy for them.

Flipping the page of the binder, Kagome noticed a couple of paper handouts from the various sports clubs from school for next week's culture day.

_"Sango must have forgotten to remove these,"_ Kagome thought as she skimmed through the handouts. Her eyes widened when she encountered a handout from the archery club.

"Beat Kikyo in archery and win two tickets to the newly opened Kaze no Kizu Theme Park," Kagome mouthed. She put the handout down and stared thoughtfully at Inuyasha, whose left eye was twitching irritably as Shippou made him do a weird pose.

Kagome's mouth quirked into a smile. _"Why not?"_

****

**A/N:** Woohoo!!! I finally did it! I finished chapter 12! _::does happy dance around computer::_

Once again, my sincerest apologies for not updating for a very long time. If you've noticed, this chapter is the longest so far, since I don't get to update as often as before, I decided to make my chapters longer.

Obasan (pronounced oh-ba-san) is different from obaasan. Obasan usually means aunt, or used to call a lady who's older. Obaasan (pronounced oh-baah-san), as you already know, is used to call grandmothers, or elderly ladies.

I ran out of names to call the theme park so I guess Kaze no Kizu would do.

Ooh, does Inuyasha really have youkai blood in his family? (I think you already know the answer to that) What is this drawing by Shippou that Kagome finds with Inuyasha having silver hair and golden eyes? What is Kagome planning with this archery activity? (Like you didn't know already) Does Kagome even know how to shoot a bow? Will Yura and the others be able to remove all those paint and feathers?

How did this installment go? Good, bad, sucks big time? Tell me what you think.


	13. Sunday Rain Showers

I haven't updated for the longest time. You can all go and kill me now...::puts on safety helmet and runs away from livid readers:: WAAAAAAAAAAHHH!!!

Anyways, a big, big, big, big, big thank you to all those who read and reviewed! Love you lots, you guys!!! ::grins::

My finals are over and my sem break begins this week. Wheee!!! Now I can finally work on this fic without worrying about academics. ::cackles manically::

Okay, I've noticed my chapters have gotten more and more serious every installment (not that it's a bad thing, but hey, I happen to love comedy and this is a humor fic). If you have read my bio, you'll know that this is basically a transition chapter. Let's clear our minds a bit about the whole Kagome-was-harrassed-by-Yura-et.al. in this chappie and focus more on the relationships (hey, this is also a romance fic after all), since it would seem unbelievable if the couples just fell for each other out of the blue, ne?

This chapter is quite long, to make up for my lack of updates. Fifteen pages in MS Word, in fact. I hope you enjoy it!

Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha. It belongs to the one and only Rumiko Takahashi.

**The Substitute **

**Sunday Rain Showers**

Inuyasha hung upside down as his gaze wandered to the workout area doorway. "What do you want, mom?" He asked monotonously before resuming his upside down sit-ups.

Izayoi, who was leaning on the doorframe and was calmly watching him workout, smiled. "I wonder why you never join any of the school sports clubs," she began, walking towards the area Inuyasha was been hanging from. "You could be the captain of any athletic club if you really wanted to, you know."

Inuyasha stopped at sit-up number five hundred one and looked at his mother. "Cut the crap mom," he mumbled as he carelessly wiped his sweaty brow with the back of his hand. "What do you want to talk about? Really?"

Izayoi's eyes twinkled. "It's a fine Sunday morning and all you can think about is train here at the mansion gym?" She tilted her head. "Toutousai told me you always spend this day dating girls or hanging out with Miroku."

"Tell Toutousai I'll throw him to the nearest tar pit when I'm finished exercising." Inuyasha muttered. His purple eyes then turned half-lidded with annoyance. "Mom! Stop the small talk and tell me what you want to talk about already."

"I think you know whose birthday it is today," Izayoi said softly.

Inuyasha snorted, looking away. "No," he replied dryly.

Izayoi bent down and tried to catch her son's eye. "Aren't you going to greet your father, Inuyasha?" Inuyasha absently noted that she used his full name instead of the usual 'Inu-chan'. It only meant one thing: his mother was serious with this topic. "You could easily just drop him a short call or a simple e-card."

Inuyasha met his mother's gaze. "When are you heading off to Shanghai?" From experience, Inuyasha knew that to avoid answering a question, respond with question of your own.

Izayoi sighed tiredly as she straightened herself up. "My flight is this afternoon."

"Then I don't need to send him any," Inuyasha answered quietly, resuming his sit-ups. "He'll have more than enough with you and Sesshoumaru. You and him will go to a fancy restaurant in Shanghai to celebrate while his perfect son probably has a ton of gifts sent to him weeks even before his birthday. I don't fit into the picture."

"Inuyasha..." Izayoi gently opposed. "That's not true." She heard Inuyasha snort skeptically as he counted sit-up number five hundred ten. "He may not be the most perfect of fathers, but he is still your father, Inuyasha. Whatever had happened before was not entirely his fault. You know that." She noticed a frown appear on Inuyasha's face.

Inuyasha stopped his sit-ups and flipped off the horizontal bar he was hanging on. He then headed for the punching bag a few feet away and started working on it. His scowl deepened as he turned his attention to hitting the punching bag with every ounce of his strength.

Izayoi sighed. She was about to try another way to coax her son when her cell phone suddenly rang. Mentally cursing whoever it was who had chosen this time to conveniently interrupt her conversation with her son, she pulled out the phone from her pocket. It was the important call she was expecting this morning. Quickly walking to the exit of the large mansion workout area, she gave her son, who was literally murdering the punching bag, one final glance before answering the call.

Inuyasha stopped hitting the punching bag as soon as his mother left the room. As his gaze wandered to the punching bag, he realized sand was slowly leaking out of the huge tear he had made on it.

* * *

"This is just so cute!" Kagome exclaimed, turning starry eyed and glomping onto the huge five-foot stuffed toy cat on display at the Tensaiga Mall lobby. 

Sango, who was just right behind her, sweat-dropped. "That thing is almost bigger than you, Kagome," she pointed out as her best friend rubbed her cheek against the stuff toy's fur. "How can you call that cute?"

Kagome, however, did not seem to hear her. Noticing the weird looks other people were shooting Kagome, Sango slowly started inching away from her friend. Kagome was a sucker for stuffed toys...especially if the stuffed toys were thick-furred cats with unproportionally large eyes.

"Is she your friend?" A female sales clerk beside Sango inquired. Right in front of them, Kagome started touching the toy cat's huge ears while laughing manically.

Sango shook her head vehemently. "Um...no! Never seen her before."

At the moment, Sango did feel the slightest bit guilty disowning her best friend. Spotting a nearby bookstall, she decided to quickly duck for cover until Kagome got over her initial stuffed-toy induced manic trance.

Sango sighed with relief as she scanned at the magazines on display. Sunday was usually the time she and Kagome got together for a day of best friend bonding, unless there was some event or activity that made them unavailable that day. And today, Sango was thankful that they were together, since she had wanted to ask Kagome a question that had been bothering her the whole week. If it hadn't been Yura and the other girls who locked her up at the rooftop, who did?

Sango's thoughts were interrupted as she spotted a rare edition of her favorite sports magazine just a little to her left. She quickly reached out to grab it. Just as her hand was just an inch away from snatching the magazine from the shelf, a hand suddenly appeared and took it.

"Hey!" Sango half-yelled, intent on giving the person a piece of her mind. That magazine was practically hers, damn it. As her eyes focused on the person who took it, her jaw almost touched the floor from shock and disbelief. Right beside her stood Miroku Kanzaki. _"Oh crap."_

"Hi Sango-chan!" Miroku greeted cheerfully. "It's so nice to see you."

"What in the world are you doing here?" Sango blurted out the first thought that came to her mind. Great, not only was the magazine she'd been searching for weeks taken by somebody, but that somebody just had to be Miroku.

"Miyu's one of the models of the car exhibition held at Tensaiga Mall's convention hall," Miroku answered, his dimple showing as he smiled. "I accompanied her here. And you?"

"I'm with Kagome," Sango answered dully, her mood not improving after hearing Miyu's name. "Why aren't you with your girlfriend, Kanzaki? You're searching for you're next girlfriend, I bet." Sango wanted to end the conversation there and leave since she did not want to risk meeting Miyu again...not to mention feel more disappointed for not getting the prized magazine.

"I got bored," Miroku replied simply. Noticing Sango's slight frown, he held the sports magazine up. "Were you reaching for this magazine?" He asked curiously. "Because if you were, I'd gladly give it to—"

"Sango!" Somebody called out, interrupting Miroku. He and Sango turned to see Kagome running towards them. "There you are!"

Kagome elbowed her best friend lightly. "Oi, you just left me back there. Can you believe some of the mall security went over to stop me from hugging the cute kitty?" Kagome sniffled, looking teary-eyed. She then blinked, recognizing the person beside Sango. "Oh, hi Miroku!" She piped out, turning to him and giving him a sunny smile. Miroku acknowledged with a small smile and a nod. "Um, was I interrupting you two?"

"Of course not," Miroku assured her. He turned to Sango. "Do you want this, Sango-chan?"

Sango shook her head. "You take it," she mumbled, trying her best not to look disappointed.

"Hey, isn't that the magazine you said you'd pay a million yen to—" Before Kagome could finish, Sango elbowed her to shut up.

Miroku eyed Sango for a moment before heading for the bookstall counter to pay for the magazine. As he got his change, he turned at the two girls. "Care for a little brunch, ladies?"

"Of course." Kagome quickly replied with a grin before looking at Sango, who looked ready to strangle her right on the spot.

Kagome mentally congratulated herself for replying faster than Sango, knowing her best friend would decline the offer. Kagome felt like playing cupid at the moment, ignoring the facts that Miroku currently has a girlfriend and Sango was shooting her spine-chilling death glares.

Miroku beamed as he placed the magazine on the crook of his arm. "Where do you girls want to eat?"

"WacDonald's." Kagome answered, dragging her grumbling best friend to their destination.

* * *

Inuyasha turned the shower on at full blast and let the water relax his muscles. His purple orbs darted to the necklace around his neck and snorted. It had already been ten years since he got that beaded necklace and he had kept it close to him ever since. 

_"The son always has to suffer the mistakes of the parents,"_ he thought, smirking, as he touched one of the beads of the necklace as water streamed on it.

He had known fully well that today was his father's birthday. He was pretty good with remembering dates, so how could he forget? He had a pretty good memory, so how could he forget everything that happened back then?

His mother had always told him to forgive and forget the mistakes done by someone. Inuyasha frowned and shut his eyes. _"That's easier said than done."_

* * *

"Kagome!" Sango groaned. She and Kagome were sitting at one of the window tables of WacDonald's in Tensaiga Mall. Miroku stood in line to get their orders. "Why did you say yes?" 

Kagome smiled. "Because I'm a little hungry. And besides, what's wrong with having brunch with him? Didn't you and him eat together a couple of times before?" Kagome wiggled her brows teasingly.

"Oi, what's that supposed to mean?" Sango's eyes slanted with annoyance. Kagome just shook her head quietly. Sango pouted before turning her attention to the window. Why was she so worked out with this? It couldn't be just because the magazine, right? She had grown closer to Miroku this past week after the whole revenge against Yura and the other girls. Could it be that she was actually falli_—"Don't even go there."_ Sango ordered herself, scowling. _"He's a perverted player. He's a perverted moronic player. He's a perverted flirtatious moronic player."_ She started chanting to herself.

"Isn't it nice that today's weather nice and warm unlike last week?" Kagome suddenly piped up. Sango's current expression reminded her of the time Kohaku and Souta tried to shave Kirara's fur for their Science project...Kagome internally prayed talking about the weather would somehow divert her best friend's unproductive anger away from her.

"I guess," Sango mumbled in agreement. "It's good that it's not raining today." Sango suddenly perked up, remembering a mental note at her mention of the word "raining." Pushing the thoughts about a certain perverted playboy aside, she looked at Kagome seriously. "That reminds me, Kagome. I've been wanting to ask you something."

"Hmm? What is it?" Kagome looked at her expectantly.

Sango looked at Miroku to make sure he was still in line and to her relief she saw that he had just reached the front and was just starting to order their food. She leaned closer to Kagome, who was at the opposite side of the table. "Who was the person who locked you up at the rooftop? It wasn't Yura and company, wasn't it?"

Kagome was taken aback by the question that she almost fell off her chair. She bit her lip nervously. She knew that question was coming sooner or later after Inuyasha, Miroku and Sango had their sweet revenge on Yura and the other girls. Kagome wished Sango had asked the question later. Much later, like say, a millennium later...

"Come on, Kagome," Sango sighed. "Why can't you tell me? I'm your best friend. Don't you trust me?"

Kagome shook her head. "It's not that, Sango," she replied quietly. "It just that—" Her voice trailed off. _"It's just that Takahashi would be so heartbroken if he knew..."_

"It's ironic that I found that information out from Yura and those girls instead of you," Sango looked a little frustrated. "If the reason you're not telling me is not because you don't trust me, then what is it?" She rested her chin on the palm of her hand. "Why are you protecting the person who hurt you? It doesn't make sense."

Kagome took a deep breath. It was no use hiding it now. "Promise me you won't tell anyone or do anything to that person, okay?" Kagome's blue eyes darted above Sango's head for a second. "That includes you too, Miroku."

Sango looked over her shoulder to see Miroku standing behind her with their tray of fast food. "Since when have you been eavesdropping, Kanzaki?" She asked suspiciously.

Miroku slipped to the seat next to Sango, who looked like she was iching to kick him and send him flying to a wall, since there were lots of other vacant chairs other than the one next to her. "Long enough," he answered a little sheepishly. "Um, sorry?"

Sango rolled her eyes, muttering something about eavesdropping flirtatious perverted playboys before returning her attention back to Kagome, who was twiddling her fingers uncomfortably. "I don't know why you're protecting that person, but okay, I promise." She elbowed Miroku.

"Yeah, I'll keep my mouth shut," Miroku said hastily.

"You had better," Sango muttered, eyes narrowed threateningly at the playboy before looking at her best friend. "So, who was it Kagome?"

Kagome looked up and took another deep breath. "It was Kikyo."

* * *

Kikyo sneezed. 

Looking down at her calligraphy work, she noticed a large slosh of ink on the kanji() she was making. Kikyo sighed. _"Somebody was probably talking about me..."_

She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. She was thankful of the lavender-scented candles in her room. Calligraphy, coupled with lighting some scented candles, was her way of relaxing or easing out the tension she was feeling. She didn't know why, but she was feeling uneasy that morning so she cancelled her outing with Yura and Abi to have some time alone.

Her bedroom door creaked open. Kikyo internally sighed and wondered who it was.

"It's a nice Sunday morning. What happened to your trip with Yura and Abi?"

Kikyo's gray eyes cracked open. Naraku.

Taking a clean sheet of paper, Kikyo gracefully wrote "leave" in elegant kanji.

Naraku snorted. "I just arrived in your room to check on you and you're making me leave already?" He asked half mockingly.

Kikyo's expression remained neutral as she dipped her brush into the inkbottle. She chose not to answer, hoping he would take the hint that she wanted to be alone and leave.

"Speaking of Yura and Abi," Naraku continued, sitting on her bed, "I heard what happened to them."

Kikyo finished writing the kanji for "regret" before pulling another sheet of paper to write, "How did you know?"

Naraku looked at her mysteriously. "I have my sources, dear sister."

Kikyo resisted the urge to throw the inkbottle at him. Her stepbrother just loved annoying her. She busied herself by continuing with her calligraphy.

"If my memory serves me correctly," Naraku drawled on, "there was a particular day last week were you where moodier than usual." He got off the bed and walked over to the small table were her stepsister was writing. He smiled slyly as he looked at her calligraphy over her shoulder. "Could that mood be brought about by locking somebody up at the rooftop? That somebody being Inuyasha's new girlfriend?"

Kikyo looked unaffected as she wrote, "Leave or I'll tell mother and father you skipped school for a whole week two weeks ago."

Naraku straightened himself up. "Touchy, aren't you, little ice princess?" He smirked. "I could help you with her if you want."

Kikyo stopped midway from writing, as if considering his offer. After a few seconds, she took a sheet of paper and wrote "No. Leave Naraku."

"Suit yourself." Naraku replied smoothly as he shrugged. As he turned the knob, he looked over his shoulder. "My offer still stands, sister. Don't hesitate to approach me, okay?" He closed the door behind him.

A slight frown crossed Kikyo's usually stoic face. She placed her calligraphy brush aside and crumpled the sheet she had been writing on.

* * *

"Kikyo?" Sango's brown eyes were wide as saucers. "As in _the_ Kikyo Sanada?" 

Kagome nodded mutely.

Miroku calmly took a sip of his Coke, since there was no available green tea in the fast food menu list of drinks. "It's not that surprising," he looked thoughtful. "Her reputation may be immaculate but it doesn't mean she isn't capable of doing that. She has a reason for locking Kagome up there."

"And what could that reason be, Mister All-Knowledgeable-Swami?" Sango eyed him with slanted eyes.

"Jealousy," Miroku answered knowingly. He took another sip of his soda. "It only goes to show that Operation MKJ is working on her just as I had anticipated."

Sango bopped him on the head, making him almost spill his drink. "Yeah right," she said cynically. "And that operation also got Kagome hurt, just like you did _not_ anticipate."

Kagome cleared her throat before Sango could do something more violent. "Please promise me you two won't tell Takahashi about this."

"Why not?" Sango demanded incredulously. "Takahashi-kun is still in love with Kikyo and wants her back so badly that he even blackmailed you and got you hurt in the process. Don't you think he deserves to know that his 'perfect' girlfriend isn't what she appears to be?"

Miroku popped a fry in his mouth. "I agree, Kagome-san. Don't you think Inuyasha has the right to know this?"

"You guys have a point, but..." Kagome looked at them and gave them a small smile. "Inuyasha does deserve to know this...but not through me but through Kikyo herself. Since he still loves her, I don't think he'll believe me anyway."

"I guess you're right on that one," Miroku agreed. He started skimming through the magazine he bought as he started on his burger. Beside him, Sango tried to sneak a peek at the magazine over his shoulder. "So what are you going to do now, Kagome-san?" Miroku suddenly closed the magazine and looked up. Sango instantly snapped her head away and took a sudden interest on her bendy soda straw.

"I'm going to help speed up the process of getting Kikyo back," Kagome answered, trying not to smile at her best friend's actions. "That way, all of us will win. Takahashi gets Kikyo back, Kikyo gets Takahashi back and I get my normal, uncomplicated, Takahashi-less life back."

"How are you going to do that exactly?" Sango asked with a raised brow.

Kagome took out a folded sheet of paper and passed it over to them. "Through this."

"How are you supposed to pull this off?" Miroku inquired with uncertainty after scanning the Archery Club handout for Culture Day. "You do know Kikyo is a very talented archer."

"Kagome will find a way." Sango looked at Miroku with a mysterious smile, enjoying the fact that he did not have any clue what she was talking about. She turned to Kagome. "You sure about this? It bothers me you're don't have any plans of telling Takahashi-kun about what Kikyo did to you."

Kagome stirred her soda with her straw. "I do believe deep down Kikyo really is a good person," her mouth quirked into a small smile. "Sometimes, it just happens that our emotions take control and makes us do things we regret later." Her blue eyes softened. "Besides, Inuyasha loves her. I don't think someone like him would just fall for anybody who is not good deep down. Right?"

Sango clicked her tongue. "Sometimes, Kagome, you're too nice for your own good."

"I know." Kagome grinned. "You told me that when I was sick."

"I meant it that time, too."

* * *

"Hi baby!" Miroku cooed into his cell phone. "Why'd you call, Miyu? Is the morning program of the convention over?"

Beside him, Sango looked at Kagome and made gagging motions. Kagome smiled sympathetically.

"I'm going to the bathroom," Sango whispered to her best friend as she stood up. "Too much sugar."

Kagome nodded and watched Sango head off. She turned to Miroku and realized he did not notice Sango leave since he was still busy with his girlfriend.

"Okay, baby, I'll head over." Miroku ran a hand through his hair tiredly. "Yeah, see you. Love you, too. Bye."

Putting his phone away, Miroku looked to his side. "Where did Sango go?"

"She went to the bathroom," Kagome answered. "She didn't look too well."

"I see." Miroku replied evenly, his eyes wandering to the magazine in front of him for a brief second. He then looked at his watch. "I'm sorry I couldn't stay longer. Miyu wants me to fetch her. Apparently, the morning's program has just finished and she wants to get away from some perverted old men ogling at her." Miroku chuckled. He finished his soda before asking, "Do you have a pen, Kagome-san?"

Kagome nodded and handed her a pen from her pocket. She watched as Miroku hurriedly scribbled something on the inside cover of the magazine.

"Can you do me a favor, Kagome-san?" He asked. Something flashed in his dark navy eyes, but Kagome wasn't sure what emotion it was.

Kagome smiled. "Sure. What is it?"

Miroku handed her the magazine and pen. "Can you give this to Sango?" Kagome nodded and Miroku gave her a grateful smile. He bid her goodbye before leaving.

Curious, Kagome opened the sports magazine and read Miroku's little note.

_You can have the magazine, Sango-chan. I noticed you wanted it very much so I'm giving it to you. Besides, I just remembered I have a copy at home somewhere. Oh, you can keep the hanky too, if you want, or throw it at the nearest trash bin. _

_Always smile, Sango-chan..._

_Miro-chan_

"Where'd he go?" Sango asked, sitting back down on her seat.

"He left," Kagome told her. For a brief moment, Kagome noticed a hint of disappointment sweep across Sango's brown eyes before her best friend masked on a look of indifference. "But he did want you to have this." Kagome continued, smiling impishly as she handed the Sango her prized magazine.

Sango's mouth parted a little in surprise. After reading the note, she rolled her eyes. "Kanzaki's a flirtatious moron," Sango muttered, but Kagome noticed a small smile tugging her friend's lips.

* * *

"You could have just use one of our private planes," Inuyasha pointed out. "They are far more comfortable and less stressful than commercial planes."

Izayoi gave her son an impish grin. "First class isn't so bad," she replied. "And besides, it would be lonely if I take one of our private jets since I'd be all by myself and not with my Inu-chan." She pinched her son on the cheek.

They were at the airport. Izayoi had just checked in her luggage and Inuyasha was just now bidding her goodbye.

"You are SO corny." Inuyasha rolled his eyes. He rubbed his cheek. "And I'm seventeen, mom. Stop pinching on me the cheek like a some deranged granny..."

Izayoi giggled. Above them, the airport address system suddenly announced that her flight was just about to start boarding.

"Well, I guess I'm off," Izayoi said, her smile looking a little sad. She tiptoed to give her son a quick peck on the cheek before giving him a tight hug. "Stay out of trouble, Inu-chan...for Toutousai-jiichan's sake. Take care of yourself."

"You too," Inuyasha mumbled, giving his mother a quick, uncertain hug. Izayoi smiled secretly. Inuyasha was not very good at showing affection.

Izayoi pulled away. "And take care of Kagome-chan, okay?"

"You're kidding, right?" Inuyasha frowned a little. His mother looked deadpan serious. "Okay, you're not...Why?"

"She could be good for you."

* * *

Kagome hummed as she headed home. It was mid-afternoon and she had just come from Kaede's place to get her bow and arrows. Kagome smiled with amusement when she remembered why Kaede had her archery stuff. Souta and Kohaku had played cowboys and Indians a couple of months ago and had accidentally pinned Grandpa Higurashi with one of the arrows to the Goshinbuku. Needless to say, Grandpa was more than just a little upset...

Kagome was currently doing a complicated balancing act, trying to keep the bow and the container of arrows from sliding down her shoulder while holding a heavy bag of groceries in her arms. Since she was going to Kaede, her mother asked her to pass by the grocery store after she got her archery stuff to pick up a few things.

Balancing the heavy bag of groceries in one arm, she managed to pull out a fortune cookie from the paper bag at the top of the groceries. Kagome grinned, remembering that Kaede had always offered her fortune cookies every time she came over to visit.

After nearly eating the strip of paper that came inside the cookie, Kagome read her fortune. "History will repeat itself," she read aloud. "Wonder what that means..." After pondering for a few seconds, she shrugged and placed the paper into her pocket. As she did so, the grocery bag tipped a little, making one of the oranges fall off. It started to roll to the middle of the street.

Kagome groaned. Making sure the street was empty of vehicles, she jogged over to get the fruit.

"Bad orange!" Kagome scolded the inanimate object as she bent over and picked it up. As she straightened herself up, she suddenly heard a car blowing its horn. She turned to her left and gasped.

A speeding car was heading straight at her.

* * *

Kagome heard the car screech to a halt. She heard the driver step out of the car and close the door behind him.

"Do you have a death wish or something?!"

The voice was awfully familiar. Kagome opened an eye and realized that the car was just a few inches short of hitting her. She opened her other eye. Wait. The red Ferrari in front of her was also familiar...

"What the fuck are you doing in the middle of the road, Higurashi?!" Inuyasha growled, his eye twitching angrily as he strode to her. "Trying to get yourself killed?!"

Kagome narrowed her eyes and silently cursed the stupid fortune cookie. Of all the possible history in Kagome's life, this situation just had to be the one to repeat itself...just great.

"Takahashi, nice to see you," she answered flatly as Inuyasha reached her side. "And for your information, I was rescuing the orange." She waved the fruit at his face, resisting the urge shove it up his nose.

"You almost kill yourself because of this dumb orange?" Inuyasha snatched the fruit from her hand. "Don't you know to look both ways before crossing the street!? Heck, I swear you have a knack for getting hit with cars."

Somebody suddenly blew his horn behind Inuyasha's car. "EXCUSE ME? Do you mind taking your arguments somewhere else?" An irritated middle-aged man popped his head out of his Toyota. "Some people have to drive here!"

Inuyasha and Kagome turned to him. "Bugger off!" They yelled in unison.

The man rolled his window up, muttered something about teenagers with road rage, before swerving by Inuyasha's Ferrari and driving off.

"Where were we? Oh right..." Kagome turned her attention back at her mortal enemy. "For your information, I DID look before crossing the street!" Kagome's aura flared behind her. "Haven't you heard of slowing down in residential areas?!"

"Hey, you should be thanking me! You were in the middle of the road picking up this stupid orange!" Inuyasha glared at her as he brandished the fruit. "You could have just bought another one... You people are SO poor."

"Well, excuse me for being poor!" Kagome growled. "Rich people like you don't know how to follow the speed limit like all other DECENT drivers!"

"Stop spraying spit on my face, Higurashi!"

Kagome stopped short of her next retort, her mouth hanging with irritation. "I SO DO NOT SPRAY SPIT ON YOU FACE!!" She screamed, making Inuyasha sway on the opposite direction with how loud she was yelling.

"You just did so again."

Kagome had to restrain herself from pulverizing him to a pulp right there. "Look here, Takahashi!" She jabbed her index finger at his chest. "Read my lips. I DO NOT—" A drop of water fell on her hand pointing at Inuyasha...and then another. She and Inuyasha slowly looked up. As they did so, it began to rain...in torrents.

"Now look at what you've done, Higurashi!" Inuyasha pointed at her accusingly.

"Oh, so now it's my fault it's raining!" Kagome glared at him. "Just shut up, will you!" She adjusted the grocery bag in her arms and was about to cross to the other side of the street when Inuyasha grabbed her arm.

"And where are you going?" He demanded.

"To Mount Fuji," Kagome answered sarcastically as she felt her coat get wet. "Home, of course. It's raining cats and dogs, if you haven't noticed!"

Without any warning, Inuyasha pushed her into his car and slammed the door shut when she tried to get out.

"Not only do you have a knack of getting hit with cars, you also have a knack getting soaked in rainstorms," Inuyasha muttered as he slipped into the driver's seat. He locked his side of the car, preventing Kagome from unlocking the passenger door to get out. "You don't actually think I'm going to let you walk in the rain, do you?"

Kagome frowned. "I'd rather prefer that than be stuck in this car with you."

Inuyasha opened the dashboard and threw a small towel at Kagome, hitting her smack in the face. "Yeah, right," he rolled his eyes. "And you'd rather have a cold and fever from walking in the rain. That is SO preferable than hitching a quick and dry ride home."

"When did you start caring if I ever got sick?" Kagome returned, wringing the towel Inuyasha had thrown at her, imagining it to be his neck.

Inuyasha gave her a funny look, and Kagome wasn't sure if it was embarrassment or annoyance. "Ever since your best friend threatened me," he answered flatly.

* * *

"Mama?" Kagome looked puzzled as Mrs. Higurashi held an umbrella over her head as she got out of the car. "You really didn't have to wait for me at the bottom of the shrine to give me an umbrella." Peering over her mother's shoulder, she squinted a little at the waiting taxi a few meters away. "Um, why grandpa in the taxi?"

Her mother patted her shoulder calmly. "I think he just strained a back muscle from lifting up one of his boxes containing some mystical creature's body parts at the shed." Mrs. Higurashi handed Kagome another umbrella. "But he insists he slipped a spinal disk. We're going to the hospital to make sure. Can you handle everything around here while we're gone, Kagome?"

Kagome nodded, struggling with the grocery bag and umbrella.

Mrs. Higurashi bent down to see who the driver was, and her face brightened up when he recognized who it was. "Isn't he the nice young man who was with you when you got that free makeover while you were researching at the library?"

Kagome sweat-dropped, remembering the little lie Inuyasha had explained to her mother about her sudden change in appearance and wardrobe. "Er...yes." Kagome still could not believe her mother bought the lie hook, line and sinker. After all, what were the chances of getting a free makeover inside the city library?

"Thank you for giving my daughter a ride home, Takahashi-kun," Mrs. Higurashi told Inuyasha over the open passenger side window.

Inuyasha nodded. "No prob, Mrs. Higurashi." Kagome rolled her eyes in the background. It was just downright annoying every time Inuyasha acted all polite and nice to her mother. Damn, he was such a good actor...

Hearing the waiting taxi honk its horn impatiently, Mrs. Higurashi straightened up. "Souta's sleeping at Kohaku's place tonight," she hastily told Kagome as she gave her a kiss on the cheek. "If me and grandpa come home late, you can just reheat the spaghetti or prepare something on your own for dinner, okay?"

Kagome nodded mutely. As soon as the taxi left, she gave a long, tired sigh. Her arms were aching from the heavy grocery. Her shoulders was starting to hurt from the bow and canister of arrows she was slinging, not to mention she was struggling to keep herself dry from the umbrella she was trying to hold steady.

"Really, Higurashi, you can't do anything right by yourself."

Kagome wheeled around to see Inuyasha walking up to her. He had put on the hood of his coat to keep himself from getting wet.

"Aren't you supposed to be leaving right about now?" Kagome frowned, eyeing him suspiciously.

Inuyasha rolled his eyes. "I was." He immediately snatched the bag from her arms. "But I got sorry for the other oranges in your grocery that'll probably fall off if you kept your lousy balancing act. After lugging heavy books at school I'm surprised you still have a hard time carrying groceries. Aren't you supposed to have thirty inch biceps by now?"

Kagome pretended not to have heard the insults he just said. "Um, thank you for carrying the groceries," she said quietly.

Inuyasha walked past her. "Whatever. I'm doing it for the oranges."

Kagome stared at the ground, smiling a little. _"You never fail to amaze me, Takahashi."_ Looking up, she saw Inuyasha was starting up the shrine steps. She quickly realized it was still raining hard and rushed over to him. "Hey, your majesty, wait up!" She held the umbrella over his head.

Inuyasha snorted and continued on. "What's the deal with the bow and arrows?" He suddenly asked when they were halfway up.

Kagome blanched. "Um, what are you talking about?" She asked innocently.

Inuyasha turned to her. "Oh, I don't know...the ones you're slinging on your shoulders?" He returned flatly.

Kagome bit her lip. Inuyasha was not supposed to know about her joining the Archery Club game to compete with Kikyo. Not yet, anyway. "They're...Kaede's, I mean...my grandpa's." Inuyasha raised a brow with disbelief. "I mean they were grandpa's but then he then gave them to mama. It's a family heirloom... Right." Kagome said with as much conviction as she could muster. "Kaede-obaasan borrowed it and I just came to get it since my mom wants them back. Mama loves archery, you see." Okay, so she completely sucked at lying.

"Right." Inuyasha said skeptically, rolling his eyes beside her.

Unknown to the two, somebody was watching them from inside one of the cars parked in front of the shrine.

* * *

"Here." Kagome handed Inuyasha a shirt and a cup of instant ramen before sitting down at a chair opposite him. They were at the Higurashi's small gazebo, waiting for the rain to stop.

"What's this for?" Inuyasha muttered, holding up the shirt. A towel was on his head and covering his face but Kagome was sure he was scowling underneath.

"A shirt, Takahashi," Kagome replied patiently as she tightened the grip on the shawl on her shoulders. "You _are_ wet. I'm not going to hold myself responsible if you get pneumonia or something."

Inuyasha snorted and pulled the towel off his head. "Fine." He placed the cup of ramen on the coffee table between them and stood up. Without any warning, he took off his wet coat and shirt, revealing a well toned upper body. He was totally half naked, except for the strange beaded necklace around his neck that Kagome had never seen before.

Kagome felt her face flush and turned away. She focused her attention on her ramen, all the while scolding herself for blushing. For an obnoxious jerk, Inuyasha had the physique any high school girl would drool over...including herself. Kagome gritted her teeth secretly as she resisted the urge to bang her head on the nearest brick wall. "You are such a pig, Takahashi," she muttered.

Inuyasha leaned over to her, with the shirt only on his neck. "Why?" He smirked. "You embarrassed?" His smirk widened when Kagome turned ten shades redder.

"No." Kagome forced herself to look straight at his eyes and look as convincing as possible. She gulped when she realized his face was inches away from hers. Damn, he knew she was flustered and he was teasing her. "N-now put the shirt on or I swear I'll throw you into that rainstorm. I'm not kidding, Takahashi!"

"You don't have to get so defensive, Higurashi." Inuyasha maintained his smirk as he straightened up. "Oh, your Shippou-chan sent you a little gift. It's in my coat pocket," he told her as he put the shirt on. "You praised that little squirt on his drawings too much that he decided to give you a sketchpad full of them." Kagome, desperate to find some distraction, rummaged at his coat at the coffee table and found Shippou's little sketchpad wrapped in some twine to keep it from opening.

"Who does this shirt belong to?" Inuyasha asked as he sat back down. He stared at the decal, which showed a father holding a small girl and an even smaller boy. "Doesn't look like your grandpa's shirt."

Kagome looked up, thankful that he was now wearing a shirt and that she was not blushing so much anymore. Her blue eyes wandered to the print on the shirt. "That belongs to my dad." A sad smile appeared on her lips.

"Oh." Inuyasha stared at the shirt print. "And this must be..."

"That's my papa, Souta and me on a fair at my elementary school a couple of years ago. That's one of the few belongings papa left that I kept." Kagome told him as she blew at her ramen to cool it off. "We looked so happy back then, don't you think? We had that picture taken in a booth that makes custom shirt prints." She forced a smile while Inuyasha remained silent. "But mama and papa occasionally fought even then. When I was ten, papa left, leaving Souta and me with mama. Mama decided to stay with grandpa here in the shrine, and we've been here ever since."

"I'm sorry." Inuyasha mumbled quietly. Kagome noticed he sounded truly sincere with what he said.

Kagome shook her head. "Don't be. Events like that just can't be helped, I guess."

"So where's your father now?"

"He's in the States, living in New Jersey, I think. Recently, he has kept in touch with us, offering me and Souta to come visit him at his house there during vacation time. Mama doesn't seem to mind this, but I know they could never be back together again, even if I want to."

"Why are you telling me this, Higurashi?" Inuyasha furrowed his brows.

Kagome looked at him softly. "I don't know," she said honestly. "It just feels natural to tell you..." She suddenly blushed, realizing what she had just said. She cleared her throat to relieve her embarrassment. "How about your dad, Takahashi?"

Inuyasha took a huge serving of his ramen. "My parents are still together."

"That's nice to hear." Kagome gave him a genuine smile.

"I see my mom every few months, but I very rarely see my father. Once or twice a year, I guess. But I'd prefer not to see him at all." Inuyasha's expression darkened. "My father met my mom when he just lost his first wife. I was born. But my father's family did not approve of their relationship and I was left to stay with my mom and..." Inuyasha's purple eyes narrowed and he discontinued that line of thought. "It was when I was eight when they actually got married." He unconsciously touched his necklace.

"That must have really been hard. I'm sorry." Kagome mumbled. She noticed Inuyasha looked hostile when he talked about his father and decided to change the topic. "I haven't seen that necklace before, Takahashi. Who gave you that?"

Inuyasha looked at the object in question. "I've had this since I was little. Seven, I think. A gift from somebody," he replied vaguely. He then continued slurping his ramen.

Kagome had the feeling Inuyasha did not want to talk anymore so she decided to flip through Shippou's sketchbook. Untying the knot, she pulled the twine out and skimmed through Shippou's doodles. On one page was a drawing of her from the Takahashi garden with the label below saying "Kagome-oneechan." On another was a drawing of Inuyasha, who was sticking his tongue out. Another was a lady wearing a suit, with the label reading "Izayoi-basan."

For a boy his age, Shippou had a real talent in drawing. The little kit was really concerned with detail and with coloring his drawings as accurately as possible. Kagome bet he was going to be a great artist someday.

Reaching the last page, Kagome blinked. It was a portrait of a young man with white hair and yellow eyes. No, golden eyes and silver hair. Kagome squinted. On the man's head were triangular things. _"Ears?"_ Kagome wondered. Whether they were cat ears or dog ears, Kagome was not sure. When her gaze wandered to the bottom of the page, her eyes widened. The label read "Inuyasha".

Kagome looked up and stared at the person noisily slurping instant ramen in front of her. Perhaps Shippou just decided to change the colors...but then again, Shippou liked his pictures to be as correct color-wise as possible. _"What does this drawing mean?"_

"What are you looking at?" Inuyasha asked, eyes narrowed suspiciously.

Kagome quickly turned away. "Nothing."

**A/N:** Wow, I can't believe it. It's actually finished...after two months of writer's block. ::does happy dance::

After I read this chapter over, I realized it was humor, drama and angst all in one. Is that a bad thing??? O.o

Kanji is one of the three different types of writing Japanese use. The other two are Hiragana and Katakana. Kanji uses a certain character to identify a certain object, etc while the other two are syllables grouped together to form a word used to identify an object, etc. Was that confusing? Um, just try looking it over on a search engine to get a better explanation. Ehehehe...

_Next chapter preview:_

Inuyasha: Crap! What the heck is that wench doing in the Archery Club tournament?! That little bitch, I ought to...!

Miroku: Calm down, my friend. That tournament is the least of your problems. ::points to a sign::

Inuyasha: The English Club is holding a what?! I can't believe this! They're holding a Dating Game with Kagome as the searcher? ::turns to Miroku and looks annoyed:: And you're also a searcher?

Miroku: That Dating Game is for a good cause, Inuyasha. ::clears throat:: As for Kagome, she has got quite a following, if you must know. ::points at English Club booth with a kilometer long line of boys::

Inuyasha: And she didn't even tell me! That little ::bleep bleep bleep::

Miroku: ::sighs:: Excuse my friend for mouthing censored profanities. While my friend here bristles, watch out for the next installment of The Substitute, "Games of the Heart".

Sailor Helios: ::appears after a puff of smoke:: And tell me what you think of that chapter! Good, bad, boring, awful, please tell me! Now, I've got to make Inuyasha shut up, lest I get in trouble with some board of censors or something. Ja ne! ::grabs a mallet with the intention of knocking Inuyasha out to shut him up::


	14. Games of the Heart

Hello! Yay, I updated early. I'm so happy! ::does happy dance::

Thank you very much to all of you who read and reviewed. You keep me inspired and keep me on my toes so I don't take too long to update.

If you've noticed, this chapter is shorter than most. I was earlier planning to put the archery tournament and dating game on one chapter but then I decided to separate it, because the dating game is quite long and it is a story worth telling on another chapter.

Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha. It belongs to Rumiko Takahashi. Also, I would like to say that I have never played archery before and I relied on information from the Internet so please forgive me for inaccuracies and mistakes. I am also not sure what exactly Japanese students do on Culture Day so what I write here may be incorrect or inaccurate. Sorry if I make any mistakes on those.

**The Substitute **

**Games of the Heart**

"Are you sure it's a wise idea not to tell Takahashi-kun about this?" Sango asked as she waited for Kagome to get dressed in her archery attire.

Kagome decided to change at the Taekwondo Club locker room to avoid the chance of people eavesdropping on their conversation, which could happen if she changed in a regular school bathroom. Today was Shikon Gakuen's Culture Day, and most students were either at the main building or at the school field, checking out the various booths set up by the school clubs.

"It's better that he find out at the last minute than a couple of days before," Kagome replied as she smoothed her archery uniform. "He'll just go ballistic and taunt me that I have no chance of beating his perfect ex-girlfriend in archery. He'll probably say," Kagome cleared her throat and imitated Inuyasha's voice, "'That is just completely stupid, wench! No way in hell will you ever beat Kikyo in archery. Heck, I bet you can't even hit the broad side of a barn.'"

At the background, Sango sweat-dropped. It gave her the creeps that somebody as nice and sweet as Kagome could perfectly imitate somebody as bad-tempered and obnoxious as Inuyasha. And she had only been pretending to be his girlfriend for two weeks...

"So there, Sango," Kagome returned to her usual voice. "And besides, he'll appreciate this later. But right now, since this tournament needs my entire concentration and attention, his teasing and skepticism about my abilities won't help at all." She gave Sango an impish smile. "And besides, everyone likes surprises. He'll be pleasantly surprised with this."

"Well, I won't actually call it 'pleasantly' surprised on Takahashi-kun's part." Heck, Sango was ready to bet her family's fortune that Inuyasha was completely not going to like the idea of Kagome competing against Kikyo. She stole a glance at her wristwatch. "Fifteen minutes left before the archery competition starts. You still have to talk to Sanada-san. You do know where to find her, right?"

Kagome nodded as she picked up her bow and slipped it on her shoulder along with her quiver of arrows. "Miroku told me she was at the Archery Club locker room when he called a few minutes ago." She rubbed her hands together nervously. "Wish me luck, Sango."

Sango squeezed her best friend's hand. "I don't need to." She smiled. "I know it will work. I believe in you, Kagome."

* * *

Kagome took a deep breath to calm her nerves. It was the first time she had ever challenged somebody in archery and the butterflies in her stomach were making her totally giddy and uncomfortable. She was standing in front of the Archery Club locker room, debating whether to open the door or not. What if Kikyo decided to turn down the deal she offered? That would ruin everything.

_"This is no time to turn back, Kagome,"_ she told herself mentally. _"You want your old, uncomplicated, Takahashi-less life back, right?"_ Taking another deep breath, she opened the door.

Much to her relief, the locker room was empty, except for the lone figure of somebody sitting on one of the benches. Kikyo.

"Sanada-san?" Kagome called out.

Kikyo looked up, her gray eyes slightly widening with surprise after seeing Kagome. After her eyes skimmed through Kagome's attire, instant realization came over Kikyo's stoic feature. "I see you are joining the archery tournament, Higurashi-san," Kikyo said quietly.

Kagome took a deep breath. "I want to make you a deal, Sanada-san," she answered, unconsciously wringing her hands nervously. Kikyo looked like she was not paying attention as she examined her bow.

"And what deal is that?" Kikyo put her bow down and looked up at her.

"I'm challenging you in the archery competition," Kagome replied. "If you win, I will break up with Inuyasha and stay away from him, as you wished." She looked at Kikyo intently. "And also, I won't tell him that you were the one who locked me up at the rooftop. What do you say, Sanada-san?"

Kikyo pondered this for a while before standing up. "And what if you win, Higurashi-san?" She asked calmly as she faced Kagome.

Kagome looked thoughtful. She had not really thought of that. "Well..." Kagome replied slowly as she scanned her brain. She snapped her fingers. "If I win, you will tell me the reason why you broke up with Inuyasha."

"That doesn't seem fair on your part, Higurashi," Kikyo observed. "I get three things while you only get one."

Kagome bit her lip. "Okay. If I win," Kagome furrowed her brows for a moment, "you and your friends will also not bother me or any of my friends and...you will do me one favor."

"Are you sure with this, Higurashi-san?" Kikyo asked softly.

Kagome nodded, her face marked with resolution.

"It's a deal then."

The two girls wordlessly shook hands while gazing at each other intently.

* * *

Inuyasha lazily took a sip of from the can of root beer he was holding. "This year's Culture Day is boring," he muttered. "Just like each and every year. What are we doing here again?"

He and Miroku were sitting on a window ledge at the third floor of the main building, which gave them an excellent view of all the action going on below.

Miroku turned to him. "I thought the activities this year are interesting...well, more interesting than last year's anyway." He swirled his can of green tea as Inuyasha snorted beside him. "And besides, Inuyasha, don't you want to see the Archery Club's little tournament?"

Inuyasha took another swig of his root beer. "Keh." He frowned and looked away. His best friend was good at knowing what he was thinking. He hunched over and pouted, all the while searching for a gray-eyed archer in the sea of bustling students.

Miroku suddenly perked up. "Hey, I think the tournament is starting. This is going to be really interesting." He leaned over a little on the ledge to get a better view below.

Beside him, Inuyasha stared at him cynically. Miroku was not exactly a big archery fan. Inuyasha remembered that the last time they came to watch Kikyo compete, Miroku spent almost the entire time in the bleachers flirting with the girl sitting next to him than actually paying attention to the tournament.

Inuyasha looked at him suspiciously. "Why are you so interested with the archery contest today?"

"You see, my friend, I have suddenly come to appreciate the subtle and elegant sport of Japanese archery." Miroku looked at him sagely.

"Right." Inuyasha nodded skeptically. "And my mom's a professional wrestler...If I knew any better, I'd say you're interested in one of the girls competing."

"I can't believe you think of me so negatively," Miroku said dramatically, feigning hurt. "Girls aren't the only thing that matter to me. I'm practicing monk, remember? Wordly passions and possessions have no value to me whatsoever."

Inuyasha smirked. "Right... I believe you, Miroku." His voice dripped with enough sarcasm to flood Tokyo.

Beside him, Miroku looked slightly annoyed. "Oi, what does that mean?"

"Oh, nothing." Inuyasha smirked some more.

Inuyasha then directed his attention to the contest below. Kaho Mizuki, the captain of the Archery Club, was just beginning the introductory remarks.

"Stupid idiots. Why do they even try?" Inuyasha mumbled as Kaho introduced the first player. "There's no way they'll ever beat Kikyo in archery. Heck, she could even hit a bull's eye while blindfolded. And besides, why would they want to get two tickets to an amusement park? That has got to be the crummiest prize. Anyone in Shikon Gakuen can afford that."

"It's not actually the prize these challengers are after," Miroku replied quietly as he watched the fourth archery player walk over to the archery field. "It's the achievement of defeating Shikon Gakuen's top archer. And also, you do remember the school has strictly disallowed the clubs to give a prize of a trip abroad after the parents complained two years ago... Hey, that girl is cute!" He watched as the fifth player walked in. Realizing he was out of topic, he cleared his throat. "And besides, what's wrong with Kaze no Kizu? It's a nice theme park. Half the students here haven't even gone to one since they prefer going to clubs or other posh places. Going to a theme park will be a new experience."

Inuyasha rolled his eyes. "Whatever." His amethyst eyes darted to Kikyo, who was calmly watching the participants as they were introduced. As the sixth and seventh challengers were introduced, he noted that most of the participants were girls, except for players two and six. "I bet none of them could hit the broad side of a barn even if their life depended on it."

"And the last challenger," Kaho announced, gazing up from the sheet of paper that bore the names of the archery tournament players and looking surprised. "Kagome Higurashi." The crowd that gathered to watch grew silent as Kagome timidly walked towards the archery field.

Inuyasha, on the other hand, almost lost his balance on the window ledge and nearly fell off the third story window from complete shock. "What the fuck is that bitch doing in the competition?!" He exclaimed as he regained his balance. Realization quickly dawned on him, and he turned to face Miroku with eyes narrowed menacingly. "So that was why you were so interested with today's archery contest! You _knew_ she was joining, didn't you?" It was more of a statement than a question.

"Hey, aren't you flattered two girls are competing over you?" Miroku gave him a large grin.

Inuyasha popped a vein and grabbed Miroku by the collar. "Oh yeah, I'm just bursting from sheer happiness," he answered sarcastically. "Why didn't you tell me she was joining? Why didn't _she_ tell me she was joining?"

"You're asking the wrong person." Miroku remained calm, despite the fact that Inuyasha was looking more and more murderous by the second. "It's Kagome-san who you should ask that."

Inuyasha growled in frustration, admitting grudgingly to himself that his best friend had a point. He instantly released Miroku from his grip. "What the fuck does she think she's doing?" Inuyasha muttered angrily as he jumped off the ledge and stalked towards the door. "I'm not letting her join any archery contest...against Kikyo! That little bitch! When I get my hands on her I'll—"

An arm suddenly blocked the doorway. "You're not going anywhere, Takahashi-kun." Sango told him firmly.

"Move, Miyabe!" Inuyasha ordered, glaring at her.

Sango stubbornly stayed put. "Why are you so upset?" She asked coolly. "She's doing this to help you get your ex-girlfriend back."

"If this was all to help me, she could have _at least_ told me! That little—"

"Because you were just going to insult and tease her," Sango cut in before Inuyasha could start a string of profanities. "You should calm down, Takahashi-kun. If this all goes according to plan, you will have Sanada-san back. And you and Kagome can stop pretending. Isn't that what you want?"

Is that what he wanted? Inuyasha instantly stopped his outburst and looked away. That _is_ what he wanted, right? A scowl appeared on his features. _"It is,"_ he thought. _"But why am I so angry?"_ Was it because Kagome did not tell him she was joining the archery contest or was it something deeper than that? Inuyasha pushed those thoughts aside and focused on Sango. "And how in the world is Higurashi going to help get Kikyo back?" He questioned doubtfully.

"She challenged Sanada-san," Sango explained. "Whoever wins will have you."

Inuyasha looked annoyed. "That is just stupid," He blurted out. "What are the chances of Kagome winning? I don't think she can even aim to save her life."

Sango cocked a brow. "Is it just me or do you want Kagome to win?"

"Of course not!" Inuyasha replied defensively. "It's just that the deal is downright stupid. Kikyo will get suspicious. It's like Higurashi's handing me over on a silver platter. It's an easy win."

Sango rolled her eyes and she pushed Inuyasha back to the window where Miroku remained sitting. "Do you like surprises, Takahashi?" She asked.

"No." Inuyasha scolwed at Sango over his shoulder. "Why?"

"I have a feeling you'll like this one."

* * *

Kagome stepped into the field and inhaled deeply to calm her nerves. She then threw a glance at her other opponents, who were busy prepping themselves for the competition. Since there were eight participants in the archery contest minus Kikyo, they were divided into pairs. The person who would emerge as the winner at the match rounds will get the chance to go one on one with Kikyo.

She noticed the crowd watching the tournament had greatly swelled after the word got around that she was joining. If she knew any better, she would have guessed that more than half of the school's population was watching.

She gave a small smile of amusement. _"I guess people want to see the match between Inuyasha's past and present girlfriends."_

Kagome walked over to the shooting line when Kaho motioned her and her first opponent, a girl she recognized as Nazuna from Sango's class. Kagome took a deep breath and drew her bow. Focusing her attention on the target a couple of meters away, she narrowed her eyes slightly and concentrated on the innermost circle of the target. She released her arrow and watched it hit the target.

Kagome slowly lowered her bow. _"I still haven't lost my touch."_ She smiled contentedly.

An excited murmur passed through the crowd behind her. Even Kikyo and Kaho looked completely surprised. Kagome had just hit the target at the dead center.

* * *

"So how's the tournament going?" Miroku asked as he handed Sango a can of coke and a bag of potato chips. Miroku had gone to get a few snacks while Sango stayed with Inuyasha, in case he decided to bolt and head over to Kagome and stop her from continuing with the archery contest.

Sango placed the bag of chips on her lap as she opened her can. "The other contestants have just been eliminated. Kagome's now competing with Sanada-san.."

"Wow." Miroku gave an impressed whistle. "Mushin said she was good, but I didn't expect her to be _this_ good." He opened another can of green tea before casually squeezing beside Sango on the ledge.

"Oi, can't you sit anywhere else?" Sango pouted.

"Why?" Miroku looked at her innocently. "This window ledge isn't wide, Sango-chan. Where else would I sit?"

"You could sit at Inuyasha's left side," Sango pointed out. "I don't like being 'sandwiched' in the middle of you and Takahashi-kun." The truth be told, the real reason she did not want him sitting beside her was because whenever he got close to her, heart raced and it took all her willpower not to blush ...But Sango would rather get eaten by killer piranhas than admit that aloud.

Miroku looked at her earnestly. "But the view on this side is better."

Sango's vaguely wondered what he actually meant by that as her eyes grew half-lidded with annoyance. "Fine," she acknowledged, giving an exasperated sigh. "Just don't do anything funny, Kanzaki." She offered him the bag of chips and he eagerly dug into the bag to get a few chips for himself. She then turned to the person on her left. "Want some chips, Takahashi-kun?"

Inuyasha had been unusually quiet since the archery contest began. Now he looked completely stunned as he watched the competition below. Following his gaze, Sango realized his eyes were glued on Kagome, who was too deep in concentration to notice. She lightly nudged Miroku. He quickly understood what she was trying to point out and they exchanged amused glances. Inuyasha's amethyst orbs were as wide as saucers and his mouth hung open.

"Takahashi-kun?" Sango waved a hand in front of his face. "Are you okay?"

Inuyasha suddenly blinked. "What?" He snapped. He scowled when Sango and Miroku started laughing. "What's so funny?"

"You're staring." Sango answered simply. "If I didn't snap you out of your trance, a fly would have entered you're mouth."

"Feh!" Inuyasha snorted defensively. "I was not staring at Higurashi!"

His answer sent another round of laughter between the two. Inuyasha wished he had a pitchfork to skewer them with. "What's so damn funny this time?"

"Sango-chan didn't say you were ogling at Kagome-san," he answered, wiping a tear. Inuyasha turned scarlet after realizing his slip up. Miroku rubbed his chin pensively. "You looked ready to undress her with the way you were staring at her." He wiggled his brows teasingly.

Inuyasha's hands itched to shove the can of green tea Miroku was sipping down his throat. "I WAS NOT!" Inuyasha denied heatedly, bopping Miroku on the head. "You are _SO_ perverted! Practicing monk, my ass!"

Sango patted Inuyasha on the shoulder to calm him down. If he turned any redder, Sango had the feeling he would explode. "It's amazing what new things you find out from a person you thought you already knew, ne?" Sango said pleasantly while she shot Miroku a look that told him to stop. "Kagome prefers to keep quiet with her achievements. I doubt anybody here knew she was good in archery."

Inuyasha looked thankful that Sango changed the topic. "How did she—?"

"Learn archery?" Sango finished for him.

Inuyasha nodded mutely.

"Her father was a very talented archer in his day. He got her interested in archery at a very young age." Sango threw a sideways glance at Kagome below. "She would always watch her dad practice. She constantly told me how much she wanted to be as good as her dad in archery." Inuyasha did not miss the sad look that swept Sango's brown eyes for a brief second. "And I think one of the main reasons why Kagome loves archery until now is because it reminds her of her dad and of days before her parents separated."

"What tournaments did Kagome-san win exactly, Sango-chan?" Miroku queried.

Sango perked up and beamed proudly. "Oh, nothing much." She gave a nonchalant shrug. "She's just the prefecture champion in archery during the ninth and tenth grade."

* * *

Kikyo raised her bow and aimed at the target a couple of meters away. This was the last shot in the final match between her and Kagome, the twelfth shot. So far, they have been tied, each hitting the innermost circle on the eleven earlier shots.

As her gaze fixed on the innermost circle, Kikyo noticed her hand was shaking. She also realized her heart was pounding. That has never happened in any archery tournament she joined before. In fact, playing archery was one of the ways she used to calm herself down every time she felt uneasy.

Kikyo instantly realized what emotion it was. She was scared. Scared of losing Inuyasha to Kagome, who surprisingly turned out to be a very excellent archer.

Kikyo felt suspicious in the beginning when Kagome challenged her. It all seemed too easy, like Kagome wanted her to win on purpose. But as Kagome played during the match rounds, Kikyo noticed her form and movement with the bow were fluid and elegant, like Kagome had played archery all her life. In fact, Kagome's archery form reminded Kikyo of a mystery girl who stripped her of the gold medal she had won in eight grade, and who successfully retained the championship during tenth grade...

_Flashback._

"Is this your first time joining the prefectural archery tournament?"

Kikyo turned to her side to see a girl in shoulder-length pigtails and thick glasses smiling at her. "No," Kikyo replied quietly. "I joined last year's tournament."

The girl suddenly snapped her fingers. "So that's why you look so familiar. You're last year's prefecture champion! Kikyo Sanada!" She exclaimed excitedly. "The one from Kinomoto Private Girls School."

Kikyo nodded, smiling humbly. It was a few minutes before the junior high division of the prefectural archery tournament began.

"I'm from Sakura Junior High School," the girl in glasses told her. She giggled nervously. "I hate the tense feeling before the start of the contest. I envy you. You look so calm."

"It's your first time joining, isn't it?" Kikyo asked and the girl acknowledged with a nod. "We all get butterflies in the stomach once in a while. It's natural." Kikyo patted her on the shoulder and gave her a reassuring smile. "You'll do fine."

The speaker above them suddenly came alive and started announcing the participants of the different schools.

"Well, my coach is probably looking for me," the girl said. "Thanks for the encouragement, Sanada-san. Good luck." She started to jog away.

"Wait." Kikyo called out before the girl got far. "I didn't get your name."

"It's Higurashi," the girl said over her shoulder, smiling softly. "Kagome Higurashi."

_End of Flashback._

Kikyo put her bow down as the forgotten memory suddenly flooded back into her mind. So it was indeed Kagome...Kikyo never recognized her in Shikon Gakuen because she was always in the background, a complete wallflower until Inuyasha became her boyfriend. Kikyo gasped quietly. She realized she was competing against the only person who ever defeated her in archery...twice.

* * *

"What's wrong with her?" Miroku wondered aloud. "Why did just put down her bow? It's not like her."

Sango squinted and gave a knowing smile. "I think something just entered her mind and it's bothering her." She clicked her tongue. "It's strange that she just lost her concentration in the most important shot of the contest."

Inuyasha remained quiet. His eyes wandered to Kagome, who looked as bewildered as the others, before focusing on his old girlfriend. _"What's wrong Kikyo?" _He thought worriedly.

* * *

"Are you okay, Kikyo?" Kaho said quietly from the sidelines, looking concerned.

"I'm fine," Kikyo gave her a reassuring smile. "Something just broke my concentration for a second. Don't worry. "

Kikyo took a deep breath and raised her bow again. The stakes were too high this time. _"I'm not going to lose."_ Kikyo mentally told herself as she drew her bow. It broke her heart to see Inuyasha and Kagome being all sweet and cuddly with each other, when she knew she should be in Kagome's place. _"No thanks to Naraku."_ She remembered bitterly.

Willing her nerves to calm down, she concentrated on the target and let her arrow fly. As she lowered her bow and looked at her mark, she flinched ever so slightly. She had hit the second innermost circle. Kikyo's grip tightened on her bow. The only way she would win was for Kagome to hit the outer circles. Her heart sank, remembering Kagome's archery track record. _"What are the chances in that?"_

* * *

Kagome stepped into the shooting line and elegantly raised her bow. She was extremely surprised Kikyo missed the bull's eye on the last shot. As her attention focused on the target, Kagome took a deep breath. She knew what she had to do. To get Kikyo and Inuyasha back together, all she had to do was purposely lose the tournament. It was so easy to purposely shoot on one of the outer circles and let Kikyo win. That is what she wanted, right? For her to get her normal, uncomplicated, Inuyasha-less life back...right?

_"I can't believe I'll actually miss Takahashi after this."_ Kagome stifled an amused snort as she drew her bow. Inuyasha was really not as bad as she first thought. Yes, he was loud, obnoxious and gruff at times but Kagome noticed after two weeks of pretending to be his girl that he was nice and caring in his own Inuyasha way. This week, in fact, they had stopped kicking each other in the shins during lunchtime and she didn't find the need to disinfect her hand after he held it on their public displays of affection. _"Maybe that's why Miroku remains as his best friend even if Inuyasha threatens to murder him every other day. Miroku sees the good in him...Kikyo is very lucky to have Inuyasha's affection." _Kagome suddenly frowned slightly. What was she feeling? Envy? Nah...

"_Are you sure this is the right thing, Kagome? Don't you want to know the reason why Kikyo broke up with him first?"_ A voice inside her suddenly said. Her conscience could choose the lousiest time to interfere and confuse her. Kagome internally groaned. _"The truth will set you free, Kagome. Follow your heart."_

"_Just let me get this over with."_ Kagome shut her eyes tightly to silence the voice. When the voice quieted down, she opened her eyes and took a deep breath. She released the arrow and watched with bated breath as it hit the target with a resounding "twang."

The crowd gasped.

**A/N:** Wow, I can't believe I actually left it as a cliffhanger. ::looks at audience with pleading eyes:: Don't hurt me...Eeep. ::puts pillow on head and cowers::

_Next chapter preview:_

Kagome: This is sooooo embarrassing. I have never been in a Dating Game before and now I'm a searcher. ::sweat-drops:: Who will I choose?

Sango: You should talk. ::grumbles:: Kanzaki wants me to join the Dating Game to save him from Miyu. That moron. ::grumble grumble:: Stupid flirtatious playboy...

Kagome and Sango: Anyway, watch out for the next installment of The Substitute, "Hopeless Romantics."

Sailor Helios: Oi, you girls are sooo serious. Lighten up! ::gulps when the two glare at her:: Why are you looking at me like that?

Sango: Why do I have to become one of Kanzaki's searchees? ::cracks her knuckles:: Change the story...or else!

Sailor Helios: ::backs away:: Let's not become hasty here. ::turns to the audience:: Please tell me how the chapter went. Good, bad, awful, tell me what you think. Thanks for reading. Happy Halloween, people! Ja! ::sprints away with Sango in hot pursuit::


	15. Hopeless Romantics

Wow, more than 800 reviews…amazing. I never expected The Substitute to be this well received by people. Many thanks to all those who have read and reviewed. ::grins and showers reviewers with cookies shaped like the characters in Inuyasha::

I love reading all your reviews, especially the long ones. I love reading about your rants, raves, criticisms, suggestions, and even threats. ::LOL:: They give me lots of ideas for this fic. In fact, it was through the suggestions of some of the reviewers that I got the idea of Miroku flirting with a newly made-over Kagome and for putting Jakotsu in the story (you'll see below ::cackles::). Once again, arigato gozaimashita, everyone. ::bows gratefully::

Okay, since this is a humor fic and all, this chapter is a little like Ranma ½ with all the insanity and weirdness. You have been warned.

I dedicate this chapter to **maybeth**. Don't be so pessimistic. You _will_ get well and read all 25 chapters of The Substitute, okay? Get well and smile always!

**Disclaimer:** Inuyasha and company belongs to Rumiko Takahashi. Kaho Mizuki is from Card Captor Sakura of CLAMP. However, Miyu Kayama is an original character, as you may already know.

**Chapter 15**

**Hopeless Romantics**

The crowd gasped.

Kagome slowly lowered her bow and stared at her shot. She had cleanly hit the innermost circle. _"I won."_ She realized numbly, her gaze still glued on the bull's eye she just hit.

Her heart and mind had argued seconds before if she should either win or lose purposely. The rational part of her wanted her to get it over with, to wash her hands clean from this whole complicated relationship that she had nothing to do about and let Shikon Gakuen's perfect couple get back together.

"_But in the end,"_ Kagome thought as her lips quirked into an amused smile, _" my heart won…It only goes to show how irrational I am."_

It was so easy and tempting to just hand Inuyasha over to Kikyo. But her curiosity got the better of her. Kagome had to know the reason Kikyo broke up to begin with. If Inuyasha wasn't telling her the reason, either because he did not want to tell her or did not know himself, she was going to find out through his ex. Like what her conscience said in her dream days ago, knowing the reason will help her determine if helping Inuyasha get Kikyo back was the right thing to do.

But before Kagome could ponder any further, she was suddenly overwhelmed by a huge crowd of students that rushed over to her to give her congratulatory handshakes and pats on the shoulder.

"Amazing Higurashi-san! A perfect score!"

"Congratulations! You should join the Archery Club, Higurashi!"

"Nobody has every beaten Sanada-san before! You're talent, brains and beauty all in one!"

Kagome almost had her breath knocked out of her as she was shook vigorously on either hand and patted on either shoulder. "T-thank you," she managed to stutter, forcing a smile.

As more and more students gathered around the new top archer of Shikon Gakuen, Kagome craned her neck to steal a glance at the three people watching from the third story of the main building. Kagome bit her lip when she saw their expressions. Sango and Miroku both had this bewildered look on their faces, with Sango in particular gaping at her with astonishment. Inuyasha, on the other hand, was staring down at her with an unreadable expression.

"_You've done it now, Kagome,"_ she chided herself as both her hands were shook simultaneously.

She had _so much_ explaining to do to them later…

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Miroku noticed his mouth was hanging open and promptly shut it. None of them had said a word after Kagome won the contest. "Wasn't Kagome-san supposed to—" he started.

"She was," Sango answered before he could finish.

"That little bitch!" Miroku noticed Inuyasha jump off the ledge beside Sango. Inuyasha stomped across the empty classroom and towards the door. "What was she thinking?! Stupid wench!"

Miroku blinked as he watched Inuyasha exit the room, most probably to confront Kagome, before turning to Sango. It was surprising that Sango did not do anything to stop Inuyasha from leaving…but with the current shocked expression Sango was wearing, it was understandable why she let Inuyasha go.

Miroku lightly tapped Sango on the shoulder. "Are you feeling okay, Sango-chan?"

Sango's brow creased with confusion. "She wasn't supposed to win," she mumbled before looking at Miroku. "I don't understand why she suddenly changed her mind. Kagome was just supposed to do well in the beginning but miss on purpose in the end to let Kikyo win. What do you think happened, Kanzaki?"

"Why are you suddenly asking my opinion, Sango-chan?" Miroku looked taken aback.

Sango snorted lightly. "You're good at reading people's minds…even if you are lecherous and all." She threw him a sideways glance.

"I'll take that as a compliment," Miroku beamed. He looked thoughtful for a moment. "I think something just crossed Kagome's mind near the end that made her change her decision."He looked at Sango. "She did have a deal with Kikyo. There are two sides to a deal. Maybe the thing she will get if she won was more significant than letting Kikyo and Inuyasha get back together…I don't know…" Miroku rubbed the back of his head sheepishly.

"And what could possibly be the thing that she'll get from Kikyo that is better than to stop pretending as Takashashi-kun's girlfriend?" Sango looked a little skeptical with Miroku's theory.

Miroku's gaze wandered to Kagome, who was trying to fend off the students crowded around her. "That's what I'm trying to figure out."

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Congratulations, Higurashi-san." Kikyo bowed solemnly, her face neutral. Seconds ago, the crowd parted to let Kikyo and Kaho pass through to get to Kagome. "Your skills are still as sharp as they were back in junior high."

_"She remembered,"_ Kagome realized. She hastily realized she had spaced out for a moment and bowed in return. "You're a very excellent archer yourself, Sanada-san," she replied politely.

Kikyo gave her a small smile, a smile that never really reached her gray eyes. She dug into the pocket of her hakama() and pulled out two tickets. "As winner of the archery tournament, you get these." Kikyo took Kagome's right hand and gently placed the two entrance tickets to Kaze no Kizu.

"That was great archery skills, Higurashi-san," Kaho praised behind Kikyo. "Can I interest you in joining the Archery Club? We could use your skills."

Kagome shook her head. "You already have Sanada-san. She's more than enough." Kaho looked a little disappointed but nodded in understanding.

Kagome once again turned to Kikyo to decipher her expression, but Kikyo's face remained calm and stoic. When Kagome's blue eyes met Kikyo's gray ones, Kagome frowned a little. Was that disappointment she was seeing in Kikyo's eyes?

"You won fair and square. You have my respect and admiration, Higurashi-san." Kikyo bowed again, breaking the eye contact. "Congratulations again." She and Kaho then turned to leave.

As the crowd once again erupted into a noisy chatter, Kagome looked at the tickets on her hand. Tucked underneath the two tickets was a small piece of paper. Kagome frowned slightly and read the note Kikyo had secretly slipped in.

_Meet me at the rooftop at one. I will tell you the reason._

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Kagome sweat-dropped when a baseball cap was shoved into her hands. "Can you sign this, Higurashi-san?" A boy eagerly requested.

Soon after Kikyo and Kaho left the crowd, Kagome was suddenly bombarded with items she was asked to autograph. Apparently, her archery skills had earned her the admiration and awe of the students. And right that instant, Kagome wanted nothing more than to get swallowed by the ground and get rid of the unwanted and excessive attention.

"Are you busy tomorrow, Higurashi-san?"

Hojo had managed to get to Kagome and beamed at her. Kagome looked up from the cap she was signing at the exact moment that Hojo took a picture of her.

"Er, nice to see you, Hojo-kun." Kagome greeted quietly, blinking hard to get rid of the spots caused by the flash of Hojo's camera. "Tomorrow's Saturday, so I'm free. Um, why, Hojo-kun?" Another student suddenly thrust a binder in her hands and asked her to sign it. Kagome blew at her bangs as she complied.

"Well…you see…" Hojo began bashfully as a faint blush rose on his cheeks, which unfortunately went unnoticed by Kagome, as she was too busy getting handshakes and offered objects to autograph. "Would you mind going out with—"

"Kagome!" She blinked in surprise when Kouga emerged from the crowd at her left. He immediately snatched her hands, making the binder Kagome was signing fly up into the air and bonking a random student on the head at the back of the crowd.

"Kouga-kun…" Kagome almost jumped from surprise after seeing him. "What are you doing here? Don't you have classes on your school today?"

"Don't worry about mundane things like those, Kagome-san. School come second to you," Kouga's said smoothly. Kagome sweat-dropped. Kouga was even worse than Miroku when it came to pick-up lines. "I couldn't help but overhear that you're free tomorrow so wouldn't you mind going—"

Bankotsu suddenly appeared from the crowd, waving his shinai() about. "None of you two are taking Higurashi-san out because I'm asking her first!" He swapped Kouga aside with his bamboo sword. Kouga, unfortunately, managed to fall onto Hojo, squashing the latter and his camera.

Bankotsu then took Kagome's hand, oblivious of the awkward look on her face. "Kagome-san, would you do me the great honor and—"

"Hey, I asked her first!" Hojo butted in, puffing his cheeks in annoyance as he pushed Kouga off him.

Kagome's eye was twitching with disbelief…this was so not happening to her…She worriedly waved her hands in front of her to placate the three. "Hojo-kun, Kouga-kun, Bankotsu-kun let's not figh—" Sparks of electricity were coming out of their eyes as they glared at each other.

"Higurashi-san!" Kagome's eyes bugged out as she was suddenly twirled around by somebody. Much to Kagome's relief, that somebody turned out to be Eri, one of the English Club officers. "Congratulations on your win! I never knew you had a great talent in archery!" Eri complimented, clasping Kagome's hands and bobbing up and down excitedly.

Kagome gave her a crooked grin. "Thanks," she replied.

Yuki and Ayumi suddenly popped their heads behind Eri, making Kagome sweat-drop some more. "Congratulations, Higurashi-san!" They squealed in unison.

"What can I do for you girls?" Kagome inquired, hearing the argument of the three boys getting louder behind her.

"Remember the little favor we asked you last Monday?" Eri reminded her.

Kagome looked thoughtful for a moment. "What about it?" Kagome vaguely recalled that the three girls had approached her when she was getting some drinks from the vending machine. They had asked her if she could participate in an activity the English Club was holding this Culture Day, conveniently leaving out the information what that activity was. Kagome, not wanting to offend them, shrugged and agreed.

"We need you to fill out a sheet of questions needed for the game our club is holding," Yuki explained. "The game is in an hour, you see."

"Well…" Kagome replied hesitantly. The back part of her head wondered what game required her to answer a questionnaire. Besides, she still needed to do some explaining to Sango and the others. Kagome took a quick glance at the third floor and gulped when she saw one person missing. Quickly scanning the vicinity around her, Kagome saw Inuyasha stalking towards her, his expression a mixture of anger and irritation. _"Oh crap. Not now."_

Debating whether to "fight" and confront Inuyasha or "flee" with Eri and the other English Club officers, Kagome opted for the flee response. She would explain to Inuyasha as soon as Kikyo told her the reason behind the breakup. By that time, Inuyasha would (hopefully) be calmer and more reasonable to digest the explanations Kagome would give him. Right now, Kagome was too exhausted to start a private screaming match with him about her not being too truthful about the archery contest between her and Kikyo and her unexpected win.

Kagome winced and sweat-dropped when she suddenly saw Bankotsu's shinai fly up in the air along with Houjo's camera. There was a cloud of dust on the spot where the three were currently engaged in a little wrestling rumble.

"Lead the way," Kagome replied, letting the three girls drag her away.

Hopefully, the activity the English Club was going to have won't be as bad as the crazy crowd behind her.

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Miroku placed the plate of carbonara() in front of Sango before sitting down opposite her in their usual table in Shikon Gakuen's cafeteria with his plate of escargot and lasagna.

Sango stared at his lunch. "You're eating snails with pasta?" She wrinkled her nose. "That has got to be the weirdest combination."

Miroku calmly looked up from his escargot. "Hey," he returned. "This may not be as good as Kagome-san's cooking, but it's what the cafeteria has. Escargot is not gross as you think, Sango-chan. It happens to be one of my favorite foods."

"I can imagine." Sango rolled her eyes. "That's why you also use it as your password to escape your poor girlfriends…"

Miroku snorted good-naturedly and let Sango's comment slide. It was true anyway. "Have you any luck contacting Kagome-san?" He asked, changing the topic.

Sango idly stared at her cell phone on the table. "No," she replied tiredly. "She probably ran out of battery or turned it o—." At that exact moment, her phone suddenly rang. Sango quickly picked it up. The caller registered as Kagome.

"Where are you?" Sango demanded anxiously. "I've been trying to contact you for about fifteen minutes already."

"Gomen, Sango-chan," Kagome replied apologetically. "I had my phone turned off during the tournament. I'm sorry I changed my mind at the last minute during the archery tournament."

Sango smiled. "You don't have to apologize about that, silly." Sango's brows creased. "But why did you not lose on purpose anyway? Weren't you just dying to stop pretending to be Takahashi-kun's girlfriend? Don't tell me there's something else going on between you two. Something _romantic_ that I should know about…"

"Of course not!" Kagome answered heatedly. "Don't even start thinking that, Sango! It's not funny."

Sango snorted with amusement. "I was joking, Kagome. Don't bite my head off." Sango stifled a giggle. "Anyway, what's the reason?"

"When Kikyo asked me what my side of the deal was, I suddenly had an idea. If I won, besides Kikyo and her friends not bothering me and my friend and her doing me one favor, I also asked Kikyo another thing." Kagome paused. Sango could just picture her best friend shifting her weight from one foot to the other. "She will also have to tell me the reason she broke up with Takahashi."

Sango looked confused. "Why do you need to know that?" She asked as she idly twirled carbonara on her fork.

"Because it seems wrong that I just hand Takahashi over just like that to Kikyo." Kagome explained. "Kikyo did break up with him. It doesn't seem right that she get Takahashi back that easily. My heart is telling me that I should find out the reason first."

Sango resisted the urge to laugh and settled for a wide, amused grin. It was funny how Kagome was starting to get protective over somebody who she hated with a passion just two weeks ago. "So where are you anyway? You're missing lunch."

"At the English Club office," Kagome replied cheerfully. A little too cheerfully, making Sango suspicious. As if reading her mind, Kagome added, "Don't worry, Sango, they're treating me to free lunch right now."

"What are you doing there exactly?" Sango raised a brow.

"Remember the time when some English Club officers came over last Monday and invited me to participate in some activity they were having today?" Kagome squeaked. Sango grunted and Kagome continued. "Well, that activity is actually a game…A Dating Game. I'm the searcher, apparently." Kagome sighed uneasily. "This is just so embarrassing, Sango."

"What?" Sango said incredulously, the roll of carbonara on her fork falling back with a 'splat' on her plate. "You tried talking to the president of the English Club to back off, didn't you?" She asked after she digested the information Kagome just said. "You do have a 'boyfriend'."

"I did," Kagome replied. "But Jakotsu said if I back out, they have no other alternative female searcher. Besides, he also told me that he and Miroku had taken care of Takahashi."

"Oh, really now?" Sango's eyes narrowed at the player innocently eating escargot in front of her.

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A black Honda parked at the almost full Shikon Gakuen parking lot. The car door swung open, revealing a young lady wearing sunglasses and a baseball cap.

She then took off the baseball cap, letting her wavy brown her fall dramatically on her shoulders. After she threw the cap back into the car and locked the car door shut behind her, she sashayed into the school grounds, getting stares from some of the male students.

She took her glasses off, revealing beautiful emerald eyes.

"That's the cover girl in last week's Japan Pop Magazine!" She heard somebody whisper as she passed by. The girl, however, could not care less of the attention she was getting as her mind was focused on something else.

Miyu Kayama smiled secretly._ "I'm not letting you go that easily, Miro-chan." _She tightened the grip on the English Club flyer in her hand.

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"Have you seen Higu—Kagome?" Inuyasha asked as plopped down on the empty seat beside Miroku. Sango had just snapped her cell phone shut and acknowledged Inuyasha with a quick nod.

"She's currently at the English Club office," Miroku answered calmly. He pushed a can of soda at Inuyasha's direction, watching it slide on the table over to his best friend. "You have lunch yet?"

Inuyasha deftly caught the can as it slid his way. "No. I was too busy looking for her." Inuyasha replied crossly as he opened the can. "What is she doing there exactly?"

On cue to answer his question, the school address system came to life. "The English Club is holding a Dating Game starting one this afternoon," a voice announced cheerily. It was Jakotsu Rukawa, the effeminate English Club president. "For you girls out there, get a chance to date one of Shikon Gakuen's heartthrobs, Miroku Kanzaki! Anyone interested can go to the English Club booth and purchase tickets."

Two tables away from them, Miroku's fan club shrieked with excitement.

Sango and Inuyasha shot Miroku dry looks.

"But wait, we have an extra last minute surprise for the guys as well!" Jakotsu continued in an overly enthusiastic voice. "It's not in our flyers so listen closely, boys! Inuyasha Takahashi has given us permission to let one lucky guy take his beautiful and talented girlfriend, Kagome Higurashi, on a romantic dinner date!"

Inuyasha choked on the soda he was drinking.

"So to all you interested guys, proceed to the English Club booth and get your tickets! The Dating Game with Kagome as searcher will begin at one thirty. There are only a limited number of tickets so hurry up!" More than half the boys in the cafeteria immediately clambered out of their seats and headed for the exit.

"You've got anything to say for yourself, Kanzaki?" Sango asked with annoyance. Inuyasha, on the other hand, looked dumbfounded on his chair, his left eye twitching with disbelief.

"I don't think the person who will win the game will do Kagome-san any harm," Miroku retorted evenly. He cringed slightly when dark aura started flickering behind Sango. "Anyways, that Dating Game is for a good cause. The English Club is donating half the proceeds to charity." Sango's eyes narrowed into slits. Miroku adjusted his collar nervously. "But if it really bothers you that much, Sango-chan…" He pulled out a small paper from his pocket.

Inuyasha had now recovered from his stupor. "That bit—" He blinked when Miroku suddenly inserted the small piece of paper into his red dress shirt pocket. "What was that, perv?" He demanded suspiciously.

"That is a ticket," Miroku explained patiently, looking at Sango for a moment before turning to Inuyasha. "It entitles you to be a searchee for the Dating Game with Kagome-san."

"And why would I want to do that?" Inuyasha whispered angrily, pulling Miroku close so no other people besides the three of them could hear. "That bitch joined the archery tournament against Kikyo _without_ telling me and now she's joining a Dating Game when I'm supposed to be her 'boyfriend'! Give me one good reason why I should join!"

Miroku smiled good-naturedly. "First if all, Kagome-san joined the archery tournament without telling you because she knew you'd never approve of her way of getting you and Kikyo back together," he said simply. "And why are you so surprised she joined the Dating Game? I did ask you last week if Kagome could join the activity the English Club was holding today. You said, and I quote, 'That bitch can join any stupid game for all I care.' You even signed the contract I handed you."

"I was half drunk, perv!" Inuyasha popped a vein. How was he supposed to know the game Miroku meant while they were having a drink at their favorite bar was a Dating Game? His best friend was a conniving lecherous player….

"It was Jakotsu's and my idea for her to join since she's very popular with the boys. It would be good for the English Club," Miroku continued calmly.

Inuyasha tightened the grip on his collar. "You and your cousin are despicable."

"_Second_ cousin," Miroku corrected, prying his best friend's hands off him. "If you don't want other boys to go out with Kagome-san, then join yourself."

"I really don't care what happens to her." Inuyasha's purple eyes narrowed. "There is _no_ way I'm joining. No fucking way."

"By joining the Dating Game, you can make Kikyo even more jealous," Miroku pointed out. "And do you know lots of other students from other schools are here just to join the Dating Game?"

Inuyasha snorted and turned away.

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"Sango-chan!"

Sango rolled her eyes and proceeded walking. Miroku caught up with her and tugged at her arm. "I need you to do me a favor."

The three of them had just finished lunch and she was heading over to the Taekwondo Club booth to check on her teammates. Inuyasha, on the other hand, had stomped off somewhere.

Sango pulled her arm free and crossed her arms on her chest. "What do you want now, Kanzaki?" She asked, eyes half lidded. "You already caused trouble by making Kagome unwittingly agree to joining the Dating Game. What if the guy who gets to take her out turns to be an even more perverted than you? What in the world were you thinking?"

Miroku blew at his bangs and pulled Sango to the nearest empty classroom. Sliding the door shut behind him, he looked at Sango seriously. "Don't worry. Inuyasha will join."

"That's comforting," Sango returned skeptically as she leaned on a wall. "It seems to me he doesn't want to though…And even if he _does_ join, he doesn't look like he has any romantic bone in his body. How do you suppose Kagome will choose him?"

Miroku beamed. "You'd be surprised." He then stepped closer to Sango, making her look a little apprehensive. "But that's besides the point. I need your help."

"On what?" Sango cocked a brow.

"On who, actually," Miroku clarified. "Miyu's here."

Sango could not help but scowl. "Aren't you supposed to be glad your girlfriend's here?" She questioned a little bitingly.

Miroku stepped even closer, making Sango uncomfortable. She wanted to take a step back to regain some more personal space but, unfortunately, her back was already to the wall.

"She's not my girlfriend anymore, Sango-chan," Miroku informed her. "I broke up with her two days ago."

"What?" Sango gaped at him for a few seconds. "But why?" She frowned, looking confused. She then snorted and looked to the side. "Oh yeah, I almost forgot that you're a playboy…Every girl has an expiration date." Sango looked back at him, just missing Miroku flinch at what she just said. "What has this got to do with me?"

"I want you to join the Dating Game for me." Miroku looked at her with pleading eyes.

Sango's eyes bugged out. "WHAT?!"

Miroku looked at her intently. "I saw Miyu just a few minutes ago. She's probably joining the Dating Game to use the prized date as a way to get back together with me."

"Why are you so sure she'll win?" Sango countered, not completely convinced.

Miroku sighed and ran a hand through his hair. "Because she's one of the longest girlfriends I had. And I've known her for a couple of months already even before we became a couple," he explained. Sango noticed he was stressing over this stuff way more than she expected him to. "She most probably knows all the answers to the questions they are going to ask in the Dating Game later." He looked at his watch. "I don't have much time, Sango-chan. Do this favor for me just this once."

Sango turned away, avoiding his anxious gaze. "Why don't you just ask another girl?" She responded. "There are girls here who'd give anything to have a date with you."

Miroku looked at her sheepishly. "Because one of the reasons I made up just to break up with Miyu, besides the usual reasons that the relationship isn't working out and all, was that I was courting another girl." Miroku narrated as Sango listened with raised brows. "And that girl just so happens to be _you_."

"WHAT?!" If Sango was surprised that earlier that Miroku asked her to join the Dating Game, now she looked downright horrified. A pink tinge highlighted her cheeks.

Miroku's dark blue orbs softened. "But besides that, if I were to pick a girl to win on this game, I want it to be _you_." Much to Sango's surprise, he got on one knee and held her hands. "Look, I'm already asking you on bended knee here, Sango-chan. Do me this one favor and I'll do you one in return." He looked at her with puppy dog eyes.

"Okay, fine!" Sango relented, her face already as red as a tomato. The perverted player really could charm his way into anything. "You're embarrassing yourself, Kanzaki. Stand up already."

Miroku grinned widely as he jumped back to his feet. "Many thanks, Sango-chan!" He said merrily. "Now, my favorite color is navy blue. I hate the smell of blue cheese. When I'm stuck on a desert island, the thing I want with me is a…"

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Kagome pushed the metal door open and stepped into the rooftop. She had managed to excuse herself from the English Club officers for a couple of minutes. Turning to the railings, she saw Kikyo's lone figure looking at the activities going on below. Seeing Inuyasha's ex at the rooftop flooded back memories of the incident that occurred between her and Kikyo two weeks ago. Taking a deep breath, Kagome gently closed the metal door behind her and tentatively walked towards Kikyo.

"Kanzaki-kun certainly has a lot of fans, doesn't he?" Kikyo spoke up, not looking at Kagome as she reached her side.

Kagome leaned on the railings herself and looked on at the large crowd of girls gathered at the outdoor stage below. "I guess he does," Kagome replied quietly. Her eyes widened when she suddenly saw a familiar ponytail in the crowd.

"_What is Sango doing in Miroku's Dating Game?"_ Kagome knew her best friend still had a crush on Miroku, much as her best friend hated to admit it, but it wasn't like Sango to actually join something like this. _"I guess I'm not the only one who has some explaining to do later."_ Kagome grinned to herself.

"Sanada is not my original surname," Kikyo suddenly turned to Kagome, quickly cutting her thoughts. "Did you know?"

Kagome shook her head quietly.

"Nakamura was my original surname. My mother remarried soon after my father died," Kikyo narrated as Kagome intently listened beside her. "My stepfather already had a son from a previous marriage, Naraku. Unfortunately, my stepfather and stepbrother belong to a family that does not like youkais. Way, way back, as you may recall, humans and youkais had hostile relations with each other." Kagome noticed a slight frown appear on Kikyo's face as she paused for a second. "The Sanadas still maintain the belief that youkais are filthy and inferior."

Kagome was about to ask what that has got to do with the Kikyo's reason for the breakup when Kikyo sighed and looked at her, a bittersweet smile on her lips. "You're probably wondering how this is related to Inuyasha, ne?"

Kikyo looked away and gripped the railing tighter. "You see, I never told my family I had a boyfriend. My stepbrother found out, unfortunately. He told me about Inuyasha's family background and threatened to tell my stepfather about my relationship with him. Not very many people know that the Takahashis are a family of very powerful and influential dog youkais."

Kagome's lips parted with surprise. "But he doesn't look—"

"Inuyasha is a hanyou, Higurashi-san."

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Sango squirmed uncomfortably on her seat.

After a preliminary round where Jakotsu asked them miscellaneous things about Miroku like his favorite brand of clothes (Valentino), the thing he hated most (the smell of blue cheese), his favorite color (navy blue; not royal blue, sky blue or cobalt blue) and the thing he wanted to have in case he ever got stuck in a desert island (a pot of green tea), only she and Miyu remained. All of the other girls got eliminated when they all answered that Miroku wanted a satellite phone if he ever got stuck on a desert island.

"We now have only two contestants remaining!" Jakotsu announced merrily.

He was wearing a pink tutu with little bouncy wings at the back and matching pink feathery antennas on his head. The microphone he was holding was wrapped with pink lace and a glittered star was stuck on the microphone head to make it look like a wand. Despite feeling nervous, Sango could not help grinning at Jakotsu's outfit.

"I didn't expect that many to get eliminated with that desert island question but oh well." The effeminate English president shrugged. "Anyways, let's call in our dashing Searcher, Miroku Kanzaki!"

The entire crowd of girls that were watching the game all screamed excitedly as they saw Miroku climb up the stage and sit down on the stool reserved for him. Sango turned to her left to try to see him herself, but her view was blocked by the divider the English Club has put up. The divider was there to prevent the Searcher from seeing any of the Searchees and thus avoid making biased choices.

"In this round, our Searcher himself will ask the question to our Searchees," Jakotsu explained. He handed Miroku a few of the cue cards he was holding. "And before I forget, the microphones the Searchees will be using is especially configured to alter their voices just a bit, so our lover boy here doesn't recognize any of the Searchees, in case he knows any of them."

Jakotsu turned to the crowd. "Everyone excited?" The crowed cheered. "Okay, let's begin then!" He gave Miroku a nod that told him to begin.

Miroku cleared his throat. "I have five roses in my hand with different colors," he said, reading the first question. "The colors of the roses are red, yellow, peach, pink and white. What color will you choose and why?" He looked up. "Searcher Number One?"

Ayumi handed a mike to Miyu.

"Well," Miyu began before scowling. She covered the microphone with her hand and glared at the nearby English Club officers. "Hey, I sound like a chipmunk!" She whispered. "You said our voices would only change just a _bit_!" Ayumi and Yuki just gave her apologetic looks and shrugged. Miyu sighed irritably and straightened up. "Where was I? Ah yes," she answered in her most syrupy voice. Sango had to refrain from laughing. Miyu sounded like a constipated chipmunk. "The color I would choose would most definitely be red. After all, what better way is there to show love and passion than red roses?"

"How about you, Searchee Number Two?" Jakotsu prodded.

Sango squirmed self-consciously on her seat as she felt the eyes of the entire audience on her. She had a reputation for being tough and tomboyish but now, ironically, she was joining a Dating Game to try to win over a perverted playboy. Her teammates in the Taekwondo Club won't let her live this down… Damn perverted playboys and their charm.

"As for me," Sango answered quietly, looking at the stage floor, "I pick the white rose." She smiled modestly to herself. "I don't know why. I just like white roses. They are simple, elegant, clean and pure."

At the other side of the divider, Miroku looked thoughtful as he shuffled the cards on his hand.

After the crowd applause died down, Miroku wasted no time to proceed to the second question. "If you were to cook me something, what would that food be?" He paused, a small smile on his face. "What do you say, Searchee Number Two?"

Sango resisted the urge to snort. The last time she cooked something, Kirara ended sick for a week. Apparently, Kohaku and her chichi-ue had secretly fed their servings of the food she cooked to Kirara when they thought she wasn't looking… If she cooked Miroku anything, he would probably wind up in the hospital having his stomach pumped.

"Actually," Sango admitted, "I really am no cook." Miyu looked at her mockingly. Sango ignored her and proceeded, "But I don't think I'm a helpless case in cooking. I would love to learn to cook. But if you do insist that I cook you anything, you'll have to settle for boiled eggs or instant ramen." Sango smiled a little bashfully when the crowd laughed. Beside her, Miyu rolled her eyes.

"Searchee Number One?" Jakotsu prompted.

"I think I'll cook you some French cuisine. That is your favorite now, isn't it?" Miyu answered, giving Sango a superior look. "Cooking happens to be one of my talents. I'm sure you'll love my cooking."

"I'm sure I will," Miroku answered. "And I bet you make the best cakes too?"

"Of course," Miyu answered sweetly.

Sango frowned despite herself. Why did Miroku have to compliment Miyu's cooking? He didn't have to rub it in that she couldn't cook. _"I forgot." _Sango sighed. _"He doesn't know who's who. I guess he just has a thing for girls who are good cooks…"_ And girls in that category did not include her. _"A way to a man's heart really is through his stomach."_

"And now for the last question," Miroku announced. "In what way can you best show me your affection? Searchee Number One?"

Miyu considered the question for a moment. "Why don't I actually _show_ you instead?" She asked in a teasing voice.

At the other side of the divider, Miroku raised a brow questioningly at Jakotsu's direction, as if to ask if what she was suggesting was okay.

Jakotsu shrugged. "Okay," he conceded. "But before you do anything to our Searcher, let me do a few precautionary measures first." Jakotsu took a hanky from his pocket and blindfolded Miroku. "Okay, Searcher Number One, do your thing."

Miyu glanced at Sango for a moment before elegantly strolling towards the other side of the divider towards Miroku. Miroku was calmly drumming his finger on his lap as he patiently waited for the searchee to do whatever she was planning to do.

Some of the audience suddenly gave admiring whistles while the girls in Miroku's fan club gasped. Sango, on the other hand, was fuming quietly. She cursed the stupid divider that blocked her view from seeing what the flirtatious model was doing to Miroku.

"Interesting." Sango heard Miroku say after a few seconds. Miyu probably kissed him. Sango snorted. No, Miyu _definitely_ kissed him that time. _"Why am I even helping him? She's flirtatious; he's a playboy. They're perfect for each other!"_

Miyu sashayed back to her seat, a triumphant look on her face. She was obviously baiting Sango to do the same thing. It seems Miyu knew Sango could never do anything as daring as what she did earlier…whatever that daring thing was.

"Searchee Number Two?" Jakotsu called out. "Will you do the same thing as Searchee Number One?"

Sango glanced at Miyu, who threw her a challenging look, before squaring her shoulders. "Of course," Sango answered, willing her voice not to shake from nerves.

She then walked towards the other side of the divider and saw that, instead of staying seated in the stool provided, Miroku was standing and was buttoning the second top button of his dark blue dress shirt. A white hanky was around his head, effectively covering his eyes. Even if his dark blue orbs were hidden, he was still gorgeous. His dark bangs beautifully framed his covered eyes. Sango heard some of the girls in the audience sigh dreamily.

Sango's heart pounded nervously. She was totally insane for _even_ thinking of doing something like this. But she could not stand another smug look coming from Miyu. There was no way Sango was going to give the model the satisfaction by backing off.

Even though he was blindfolded, Miroku instinctively perked up when he heard Sango walk up to him. As he moved to sit down, Sango put a hand on his shoulder, telling him wordlessly to remaining standing. Miroku got the point and stood still. "What are you—" Sango put a finger on his mouth to shut him up.

"Your hand is cold," Miroku remarked softly. "You know, you could just simply answer the question instead of doing someth—"

Sango did not let him finish as she suddenly tiptoed and kissed him lightly on the lips.

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Inuyasha was sitting on a sturdy branch at one of the trees at the Shikon Gakuen grounds. On it he had a great view of the action happening at the Dating Game a few meters away. However, he was too preoccupied to pay any close attention to it, as his mind was somewhere else.

He rolled his eyes and turned the other direction when the crowd suddenly burst into loud hoots and cheers. He really did not know what was so interesting with a game where you had to answer the cheesiest questions just to get a date with somebody.

Inuyasha's gaze wandered to the Dating Game ticket on his hand. Should he join? He snorted. "Why should I?" Inuyasha said aloud, knowing no one was listening. "That wench can go out with anyone for all I care."

He suddenly punched the tree trunk to vent out his frustration. Much as he hated to admit it, a part of him did not agree with what he just said.

"Fancy seeing you again, dog-turd."

Inuyasha instantly recognized the voice and looked down to see Kouga smirking up at him.

Kouga propped himself on the trunk and shoved his hands on his pockets. "Small world, isn't it?" His cousin continued. "It seems I always keep bumping into you these days."

Inuyasha resisted the urge to send Kouga to kingdom come. After all, Kouga was conveniently standing directly below him. He could just easily jump off the tree and land on the wolf youkai, no sweat.

"Well duh," Inuyasha retorted through clenched teeth, "you are always hanging around my favorite ramen restaurant ever since Kagome became a waitress there…What are you doing here anyway, wolf? Your school is on the other side of Tokyo."

"So what? It's none of your business if I decided to skip school." Kouga kicked a pebble away and straightened up. "I don't want to miss the chance to land a dinner date with your lovely girlfriend. That's a very generous deed coming from you, letting others date your girl. Don't worry, I'll make sure she has a memorable evening. Thanks a million, _cousin_." He started to walk away.

"What makes you so sure you'll win?" Inuyasha called out challengingly.

Kouga looked over his shoulder. "What makes you so sure I won't?"

Inuyasha narrowed his eyes but did not say anything. As Kouga headed off, Inuyasha's gaze once again landed on the Dating Game ticket. _"Not if I can help it,"_ he thought, tucking the ticket back in his shirt pocket for safekeeping. _"Higurashi can go out with anybody else…anybody _but_ him."_

There. He had a valid, _rational_ reason for joining.

Contented with his decision, Inuyasha leaned back against the trunk only to do a double take when he spotted two familiar figures at the railing of the rooftop. He easily recognized Kagome because of the red archery uniform she was wearing. The face of the person she was talking to was slightly hidden by the tree canopy. Inuyasha leaned further on the branch to get a better view and almost lost his grip. What the—Kagome is talking to Kikyo?!

Inuyasha looked on incredulously. _"What the heck is going on here?"_

_-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------_

**A/N:** Finally! My creation—ahem, chapter—is complete! ::cue mad scientist laughter and spooky organ music::

I know it's been a LONG time since I updated. I'm really as frustrated as you guys are that I could not update faster. Believe me, I want to work on this story but my load this second semester does not permit me from doing so. Can you believe I'm actually taking 26 units this semester? I haven't had this much load since…ever. I'm at the brink of insanity right now… ::goes swirly-eyed::

Okay, now for the translations. Hakama is the traditional Japanese pants, which, in this fic's case, is worn by Kagome and Kikyo as part of their archery attire. Shinai is the bamboo sword used in Kendo. An example is the sword Yahiko uses in Rurouni Kenshin. Carbonara is a kind of pasta like spaghetti, but the sauce is white instead of the usual red. I don't know why it's white though. ::ehehehe::

_Next chapter preview:_

Seshoumaru: ::whipping out a piece of crumpled paper and talks in a monotonous voice:: Next on The Substitute. The Dating Game with Kagome begins, the real reason behind the breakup comes out, contracts, confrontations and regrets come in next chapter. ::looks up:: What are you doing here?

Kikyo: Sailor Helios says you should talk more lively. She fell asleep two seconds after you started reading the next chapter teaser.

Seshoumaru: Whatever…

::the two of them don't say anything for a minute::

Sailor Helios: Oi! ::glares at them:: What are you two doing? You guys are wasting precious writing space! And I actually gave you ice people a chance to do the preview!

Seshoumaru: I, Seshoumaru, am not an icy person! I prefer cold, calculating megalomaniac…

Kikyo: I'm not even going to comment… ::turns to audience:: Next on The Substitute, "A Twist of Fate."

Sailor Helios: ::turns to audience:: Well, what do you think? Was the chapter bad or good? Please tell me what you think! ::turns to the two:: There, now that wasn't so bad now, wasn't it? ::Seshoumaru and Kikyo suddenly glare at her coldly and she is suddenly encased in a big block of ice:: Mmmph…!

Seshoumaru: Good riddance.


	16. A Twist of Fate

Wow, a thousand reviews? (O.o) Wasn't I just thanking you last time for the eight hundred plus reviews?

First of all, I would like to apologize for updating late…again. College life sucks lemons right now and well…you know the rest of my ranting about studies. Gomen for the long wait people. _:bows apologetically:_

Next, I would like all the lovely people who read and reviewed my little fic. Thanks for all your reviews, your understanding, you constructive criticisms and suggestions. They really mean a lot to me. _:grins:_ Congratulations for NeKoMe-x-FldHcky for being my one thousandth reviewer.

If you guys noticed, I changed the rating from PG-13 to R. And no, I'm not going to put any lemon (or lime) here. This is going to be an old fashioned romantic comedy. It's just that I have seen some of my favorite fics deleted by fanfiction-dot-net even though they don't have any lemons in them and there were hardly any swearing. That R is just a precaution, okay, peeps?

And do you know what day it is today? Ah, yes, Valentine's Day. Let this chapter be my treat to all you people for sticking up with me all this time. I hope this is enough fluff for you people. And to those who have no valentine this year, like moi, we can always watch Inuyasha and imagine him to be our knight in shining armor. _:LOL:_

Be prepared for a long read. This is my longest chapter so far. It's 24 pages in MSWord, in fact. I did not want to extend this whole Culture Day another chapter longer. I hope you like it.

**Disclaimer:** Inuyasha and company does not belong to me. They belong to Rumiko Takahashi. I've said this in almost every chapter. Lawyers should already know by now I'm writing fanfiction because I'm a fan, not the creator of the anime/manga. So there. _:hehehe:_

**Chapter 16**

**A Twist of Fate**

Jakotsu quietly hummed to himself as he sipped strawberry shake. He was sitting on the stool Miroku had sat on during his Dating Game a few minutes before.

Jakotsu looked up from his drink (which he had purposely ordered to match his equally pink fairy outfit) and gave a low whistle. The line of boys in the English Club booth for Kagome's Dating Game extended as far back to the school gate. Jakotsu secretly smiled with amusement when the excited faces of all the boys lining up were suddenly replaced with dismay when Eri suddenly announced that the tickets for Kagome's Dating Game had just run out. Well, there's always next year…

Jakotsu cast a quick look at the school clock. The next Dating Game was going to begin soon. One happy couple now, another one to go later…

"_I just love being the fairy of love,"_ Jakotsu thought with satisfaction, eyes brimming with tears of happiness. Hearts with feathery wings and soft music started playing in the background.

"Fairy-chan!" Somebody suddenly called out.

Jakotsu's reverie was suddenly interrupted and the soft music came to a screeching halt. He quickly whirled around to see who it was. Ayumi was jogging towards him, looking hassled and worn out.

"Yes, Ayumi-chan?" He asked, looking a little miffed at the interruption.

"Well…" Ayumi bit her lip. She shifted her feet uncomfortably. "Something came up. Some contestants are complaining of something."

"Don't tell me some boys are complaining about the lack of tickets," Jakotsu groaned, slapping his forehead wearily.

"Not exactly," Ayumi sighed. She took Jakotsu by the arm and led him along, walking so fast Jakotsu swore if she walked any faster, he would start floating in the air from the velocity.

"Slow down, Ayumi-chan!" Jakotsu whined as he tried to keep up. "My shake is going to spill on my cute costume. This is expensive, you know." Jakotsu's voice dropped a notch. "Not to mention it doesn't belong to me." The tutu belonged to Miroku's ex, the famous ballerina, whom Jakotsu had intentionally befriended to get a few tips on ballet, not to mention a handy person to borrow cute tutus from.

Ayumi stopped and her eyes slanted. "It's strawberry shake, Fairy-chan. Your tutu is pink." Jakotsu looked at him blankly, not seeing the connection. Ayumi continued tiredly. "Nobody will notice if it spills on it." She then resumed leading him through the school.

Jakotsu furrowed his brows curiously as a bunch of stressed looking English Club officers came into view. He could hear growling from the huddle and frowned with confusion. If it wasn't about the tickets, what in the world could be the fuss all about?

He cleared his throat. "Anything wrong here?" He inquired as he handed Ayumi his half-finished shake. The English Club officers parted, revealing the source of the commotion.

Jakotsu raised his brows incredulously. It was none other than Inuyasha Takahashi.

"I'll tell you what the friggin' problem is," Inuyasha growled, not taking his eyes off the two boys in front of him. "These bastards are complaining that I can't join!"

* * *

Inuyasha gritted his teeth. He was just itching to knock the living daylights out of the two boys eyeing him cockily. Didn't they know who he was? Nobody tells Inuyasha Takahashi he couldn't join this or that! Heck, this wasn't even their school and they were acting all high and mighty like they owned the place. 

He cracked his knuckles irritably to vent out some of his anger. From bits of their conversation a.k.a. glaring/threat-exchanging match, Inuyasha found out that the bigger of the two boys was Manten and the shorter one with the braided hair was Hiten. And by some weird fluke of nature, even though they did not look the slightest bit alike (nor had the same amount of hair), they were brothers.

Inuyasha's gaze traveled to the school insignia on the black coats of the two boys and snorted. They came from Furinkan High School.

_"Figures,"_ Inuyasha thought, rolling his eyes. _"These morons go to the same school Naraku does…"_ He made a mental note to tell his staff to research the background of these two so he could find a devious way of getting back at them. The blackmail he did on Kagome and his revenge on Yura and the others were all going to look sedate and angelic in comparison to the things he was going to do to these two…

Inuyasha was jolted back to reality when Jakotsu lightly patted him on the shoulder. "You can't join," Jakotsu informed him.

"WHAT!" Inuyasha exploded with disbelief. "You can't do that! I have every right to join!" The other officers quickly backed away as Inuyasha's eyes narrowed into slits and his fingers started twitching. He was about to bite Jakotsu's head off when he heard snickering coming from Manten. Inuyasha's attention immediately diverted to him. "What are you laughing at, _baldy_?"

That insult hit a nerve. Manten immediately stopped sniggering and bristled. "What did you call me?" He retorted, glaring at Inuyasha. "I'll pull your forelocks off! We'll see who's bald then!"

"Not before I yank that pathetic excuse for hair on your head!"

"Nobody talks to my brother like that and lives!" Hiten announced, waving a fist in the air.

All the officers sweat-dropped as they watched the show of testosterone in front of them. Inuyasha was spewing profanities and insults about Manten and his hair, or lack thereof, while Hiten returned with creative comebacks of his own. Manten, on the other hand, had become very quiet and was looking teary-eyed as he ran a hand on the precious few strands on his head.

Before Inuyasha and Manten could actually begin a fistfight, Jakotsu got in between the two. "_Okay_…That's about enough censored cursing and violence for one day," he said wryly. He turned to the brothers. "You two, please proceed to the assembly area in front of the outdoor stage." Inuyasha stuck his tongue at them before putting on a serious face when Jakotsu turned to him. "As for you, Inuyasha…"

Without any warning, Jakotsu grabbed Inuyasha by the collar of his shirt and dragged him away, leaving the remaining officers and the two brothers in a cloud of dust. People they passed by sweat-dropped as they watched Inuyasha struggle helplessly to escape from Jakotsu's grip.

Reaching a secluded area of the school where no people were loitering, Jakotsu let him go and eyed at him curiously.

"Why do you want to join the Kagome-san's Dating Game?" Jakotsu inquired. "You really can't join, you know." There was a hint of amusement in his eyes that only seemed to tick Inuyasha off more.

"And why the hell not?" Inuyasha scowled, his voice rising from irritation. "She is _my_ girlfriend." Okay, so maybe he was stretching the truth on that one, but hey, Jakotsu didn't need to know that. "Give me one good reason why."

Jakotsu gave him a knowing look. "There are two reasons, actually," he began. "First of all, since you are already her _boyfriend_, you know her far better than the other contestants. Hiten and Maten back there have a point. You already have a huge advantage over the other searchees. Second," Jakotsu ticked another finger, "you signed the contract Miroku handed you, letting _another_ person take Kagome out on a dinner date."

Inuyasha popped a vein. "First of all, tooth fairy—"

"It's fairy of love," Jakotsu corrected quickly.

"Fairy of love, toothpaste…whatever," Inuyasha rolled his eyes. "They're all the same."

Jakotsu puffed his cheeks in annoyance. "No, they're not," he countered. "A fairy of love wears a pink tutu."

"Right." Inuyasha's eyes slanted before continuing. "Anyway, I signed that contract when I was already half-drunk. That perverted cousin of yours did not even tell me the game he was talking about was a Dating Game!"

Jakotsu tapped his chin thoughtfully. "You do have a point," he admitted. "But that doesn't change the fact that you still signed it. The contract is still legally binding."

Inuyasha's frown deepened and it took all his willpower not to grab Jakotsu by his bouncy butterfly wings and send him flying to the opposite side of Tokyo. Coming from a family who breathed and lived business, Inuyasha knew contracts had to be honored, even if he was tricked into signing it.

Jakotsu tilted his head and stared at Inuyasha's expression, which looked like a mixture of disappointment and frustration. "You know, I'm actually surprised."

Inuyasha looked up. "Of what?" He asked crossly.

Jakotsu leaned closer, making Inuyasha pull back a little, giving Jakotsu a suspicious glare. "Don't worry Inuyasha, I'm not going to 'molest' you or anything." Jakotsu stifled a grin, as if reading his mind. He lowered his voice so no one else would hear. "I'm just surprised you want to join because as far as I know, you and Kagome are just pretending to be a couple to make Sanada-san jealous."

Inuyasha's eyes grew ten times larger and he stumbled backwards because of utter shock. "How in the world did you know?" He demanded, looking at Jakotsu incredulously. Jakotsu swore if Inuyasha's eyes got any wider, they would fall out of their sockets. After reeling from the initial shock, Inuyasha narrowed his amethyst eyes suspiciously. "Miroku told you, didn't he?" At the back of his mind, Inuyasha was already thinking of endless possible tortures for his tattletale friend.

"Of course not," Jakotsu waved a hand dismissively. "I'm the fairy of love. Of course I know you two were pretending."

Inuyasha's eyes turned half-lidded with skepticism.

Jakotsu sweat-dropped. "Fine!" He conceded. "I heard you and Miroku talking on the phone when I dropped by his place to borrow a book from their library. I picked up the phone to call someone when I accidentally eavesdropped on your conversation."

"You didn't tell anyone, did you?" Inuyasha asked, eyes narrowed.

Jakotsu shook his head. "Of course not," he replied truthfully. "But I did tell Miroku I knew about your little _operation_. That's how we conjured up this whole idea of Kagome joining the Dating Game. She is popular with the boys and we thought you wouldn't mind at all." Jakotsu's brows creased thoughtfully. "We were wrong apparently…Tell me Inuyasha, have you had a change of heart about Kagome? Is that why you want to join?"

"Keh! Hell no!" Inuyasha denied heatedly, looking away. "It's just because I don't want Kouga to win." He frowned some more. "And I also don't want those Furinkan boys ending up having a date with her," he added as an afterthought.

"Really now?" Jakotsu inquired evenly, not missing the slight tinge of pink on Inuyasha's cheeks. He suddenly had this sly look in his eyes that Inuyasha did not like. "But still, as you are, you can't join. Do you catch my drift, Inu-chan?"

"Stop calling me that!" Inuyasha muttered under his breath. "And no, I don't get your point."

"I'll disregard the contract," Jakotsu told him. Inuyasha looked relieved before Jakotsu continued, "_But_ some of the other contestants, in this case, those brothers, would certainly not agree to let you join and they have a valid reason," Jakotsu pointed out. "However, if they don't know who you are, then they won't have any problem of you joining."

"I honestly don't know what you're getting at," Inuyasha said flatly.

Jakotsu sighed and whispered something in Inuyasha's ear. For the second time, Inuyasha's eyes bugged out and he almost pushed Jakotsu to a nearby garbage bin. "I am not doing that!" Inuyasha yelled, pointing at him with a shaking finger. "You're crazy!"

Jakotsu straightened up and dusted himself. "But that is the only loophole I see," he said as a matter-of-factly. "If they don't recognize you, they won't have any complains of you joining. It's as simple as that." He snapped a finger in emphasis.

Inuyasha stood there quietly and glared at the "tooth fairy" for all he was worth.

* * *

Kagome squirmed as she let Eri and Yuki fix her hair a little and give her a light dash of makeup while she quietly sat on a stool. Just two minutes ago, she was still having a conversation with Kikyo when Eri barged into the rooftop and immediately dragged her away. 

"You are so lucky, Higurashi-san!" Yuki chirped as she did the finishing touches to Kagome's makeup. "Even with hardly any makeup, you still look beautiful."

Kagome gave her a shy smile for the compliment.

"And that dress looks really great on you!" Yuki continued to gush as she stared at her handiwork.

"Well, the dress you picked is lovely. Anyone wearing it would look beautiful." Kagome stared down at the lavender dress she was wearing and blushed. She still wasn't used to the compliments she got from people. Earlier, she had been too preoccupied getting away from the crowd and too distracted with the questions she was to ask Kikyo that she did not bother changing from her archery uniform. It was a good thing the English Club came prepared with a dress for such an occasion.

Yuki looked at her admiringly. "You are so modest, Higurashi-san!"

Kagome maintained the small smile on her face as she sweat-dropped. Yuki's attitude reminded her of the girls in Miroku's fan club who complimented him on everything, even when he stubbed his toe on the library door and they thought he was doing an exotic little dance…

"We're really sorry for interrupting your conversation with Sanada-san," Eri said apologetically before Yuki could gush some more. "But we were running late on your Dating Game and the searchees might get impatient for waiting too long. I hope you understand, Higurashi-san."

Kagome forced a smile, as if to tell them it was all fine and dandy. She was too lost in thought to actually say anything.

_Flashback._

"Why did you keep your relationship a secret from your family?" Kagome asked quietly, peering at Kikyo. "I mean, you didn't know he is a hanyou until your stepbrother told you later."

Kikyo's eyes grew melancholic. "When Inuyasha first asked me on a friendly date about a year ago, Naraku happened to spot us eating together." Kagome noticed Kikyo's voice suddenly sounded cold and a little angry. "He marched over to our table and was completely rude and hostile to Inuyasha without any reason. Inuyasha was about to pounce on Naraku when I stopped him. At that moment, I decided that if ever I and Inuyasha became a couple, I will never tell my family, lest something like that happen again."

"Oh," Kagome said, unable to think of a proper reply. Her eyes were downcast. "But there is something bothering me though, Sanada-san." Kikyo looked at her from the side of her eyes as she waited for Kagome to continue. Kagome looked at Kikyo with furrowed brows. "What was the real reason you broke up with Inuyasha? _Really_?"

"What do you mean?" Kikyo looked a little confused. "I already told you."

Kagome took a step closer. "Was it really because you were afraid your brother would tell your parents or was it because deep down, you yourself did not like the idea that your boyfriend is a hanyou?" She looked at her intently. Deep down, Kagome had a feeling she knew what the answer was.

"I did not have any choice, Higurashi-san," Kikyo retorted a little coldly, looking away so Kagome could not see her expression. "My stepfather would have blamed my mother unfairly for my actions of having a hanyou as a boyfriend. She always gets the brunt of his anger whenever I do something wrong."

"Do you love Inuyasha, Sanada-san?"

"What kind of question is that?" Kikyo answered defensively, whirling around to face Kagome. "Of course I—"

The rooftop door suddenly swung open, revealing a frazzled looking Eri. "Higurashi-san, I have been looking for you all over school!" The English officer exclaimed as she walked over to Kagome. "The second Dating Game is about to begin!" Spotting Kikyo nearby, Eri gave an apologetic bow. "I'm really sorry for interrupting your conversation here but the second round of the Dating Game is about to begin in ten minutes." She frantically tugged Kagome's arm.

Kagome sighed before allowing Eri to drag her towards the rooftop door. Stealing one last glance at Inuyasha's ex, Kagome saw Kikyo turn back to the railing and bury her face in her hands.

_"That was the real reason, wasn't it, Kikyo?"_ Kagome thought as she and Eri descended a flight of steps. _"You hated your stepfather and stepbrother for hating youkais and hanyous because deep down, much as you disliked admitting it, you knew you share the same attitude as them…"_ Kagome's heart clenched as she remembered what her conscience said.

_"Even if she told you she didn't have a choice, she still had…she was just afraid to take that choice." _

A sudden wave of disappointment welled over Kagome's chest. _"How could she do that?"_ Kagome thought, her eyes prickling with tears of empathy for Inuyasha. "_Kikyo _did_ have a choice. She could have chosen to disregard Inuyasha's background as a hanyou. She could have chosen to continue being with him even against his father and brother's wishes if she truly loved him._"

She closed her eyes to prevent any tears from falling. It was now clear to Kagome that Kikyo had indeed regretted her earlier decision. But it did not change what happened.

_End of Flashback._

Kagome could let it pass that Kikyo locked her in the rooftop, but it seemed too cruel to break up with someone because of the way they are. Her heart clenched even more. She suddenly remembered Miroku telling her that Kikyo broke up with Inuyasha on the day they were supposed to be celebrating their seventh month as a couple together. Kagome may not look like it, but she was a hopeless romantic deep down, and the reason and time when Kikyo dumped him just seemed too cruel, too selfish… Even somebody who acted obnoxious like Inuyasha did not deserve that.

Kagome wanted to scream, to berate Kikyo…to tell Inuyasha his perfect girlfriend was not as beautiful as she seemed on the outside, for being too blind to realize that Kikyo did not love him as much as he loved her…

"_She may have said she loved Inuyasha, but her love for him was conditional. Kikyo did not love him enough to accept him for who he is…"_

* * *

The crowd waiting for the elimination round of Kagome's Dating Game erupted into hushed murmurs as the final contestant stepped into assembly area. Most of the girls watching in the sidelines started squealing and guessing who the stranger was. 

Jakotsu, who was sitting on the edge of the stage, looked up from his cue cards and beamed.

The mysterious contestant had silver hair and had a black baseball cap on top of his head. His eyes were hidden behind smoky sunglasses. He was wearing an unbuttoned navy-colored short sleeved shirt, with matching white shirt underneath that revealed a well-toned chest. His faded denim pants and sneakers completed his look.

He took off his sunglasses with a clawed hand, revealing the most beautiful golden eyes. The silver hair and amber orbs highlighted his features, making him look like a mystical being out of a mythology book. In other words, he was hot and drop-dead gorgeous. The swooning female audience could attest to that.

Jakotsu gave a low whistle. He hadn't seen Inuyasha in this form for a very long time. And Miroku's clothes fit him perfectly.

Jakotsu stared at the beaded necklace wrapped around his arm. It may not exactly compliment his fairy costume, but it did the trick.

* * *

Inuyasha knew all the people huddled around to watch the elimination rounds were looking at him. He could feel it. He didn't need his youkai senses to tell him that. 

He flexed his hands to relieve the tension he was feeling. Being in his hanyou form wasn't all that different from his human form, that is, minus the claws, ears, change in eye and hair color, strength, speed…Okay, fine, it _was_ different. He had maintained his human form for ten years, only changing once or twice to this form in emergency situations that his human form could not handle.

But there was a deeper reason why Inuyasha was so tense. What if somebody recognized him?

Inuyasha smelled a familiar scent he had not encountered for a long time. He took of his sunglasses and turned to his right. Kouga.

"Well, well." Kouga stopped in front of him and gave him a once-over. "I never thought I'd see you in this form. How long has it been? Five, seven years?" Kouga's expression was a mix of surprise and amusement, and not the usual smirk he wore whenever he and Inuyasha met.

"Ten actually," Inuyasha replied shortly.

Kouga flung an arm around Inuyasha's shoulders and pulled him close. Inuyasha eyed him suspiciously for a second before realizing his cousin only did that to avoid other people, or youkai, with sensitive hearing to overhear them. "Is this your plan for getting across the complaint those Furinkan boys filed?" Kouga asked. "It's risky and stupid you know."

He and Inuyasha simultaneously stole a glance at Hiten and Manten a few meters away. They were not even giving Inuyasha a second look.

"It's a stupid and risky plan, but it's working," Inuyasha countered with a grin. He snorted. "I should have known a wolf like you would eavesdrop on that."

Kouga rolled his eyes. "Well, dog-turd, you don't need youkai hearing to overhear the commotion you and those morons were making."

Inuyasha straightened up and stepped back from his cousin. "So you're going to file a complaint of your own, wolf?" Inuyasha demanded, crossing his arms on his chest. He mentally kicked himself. He got so preoccupied with the Furinkan boys he forgot Kouga knew his hanyou form. For a plotting tooth fairy, Jakotsu did not even see this coming. Or maybe he did and was expecting Kouga to just shrug it off…

"No," Kouga returned. "I love competition."

Inuyasha smirked. "All is fair in love and war, huh, wolf?"

Kouga looked at him curiously for a moment before he smirked back. "All is fair alright." He extended a hand.

Inuyasha took it and they firmly shook each other's hand while not breaking their intense eye contact.

"And now, let us begin the elimination round!" Jakotsu's voice suddenly boomed on the speakers. "Since you guys already know the mechanics from watching Miroku's Dating Game, let's begin, shall we?" He cleared his throat.

"Ready to lose, dog-breath?" Kouga whispered.

Inuyasha looked at Kouga from the corner of his eye. "You wish."

Jakotsu looked up from his cue card. "Question number one. What is Kagome's favorite food? A. Ramen, B. Sushi, C…"

* * *

"You are on in less than four minutes, Kagome-san," Eri told her. 

It took Kagome a few seconds to digest the information, and when she did, she gave Eri a small nod of acknowledgement.

_"Snap out of it, Kagome!"_ She chided herself. _"You can't let this distract you right now when you have a Dating Game to attend to."_ If this continued, she would probably space out in the middle of the game. Everyone would wonder what was wrong with her and she did not like explaining the whole thing to anyone except Sango.

Desperate for some form of distraction, Kagome rummaged through the things in her backpack on the nearby table and found her cell phone. She browsed through the pictures she had taken with her phone camera. They were the ones she took a day after she got locked up at the rooftop, when she stayed at Inuyasha's mansion for a night.

Kagome grinned when she saw Shippou and Izayoi's picture, where the latter was helping the kit color the picture of his favorite subject: Inuyasha. And speaking of Inuyasha, the next picture was of him and Shippou, where Shippou was dragging him by his index finger to the mansion arcades area. Kagome frowned thoughtfully as she stared at the next picture, which was Inuyasha's close-up. Even though it seemed he was reluctant to entertain his little cousin, the small smile in his lips caught candidly by Kagome revealed otherwise.

Kagome's eyes softened. _"I once thought Kikyo was too good for Inuyasha. Now I realize it's the other way around. Inuyasha deserves someone better."_

Continuing to stare at the picture, Kagome mentally admitted that Inuyasha was indeed good-looking. He had his own fan club of girls, but Kagome doubted Inuyasha knew, since the girls who fancied him weren't as rabid as Miroku's. Why didn't she see him in this light before? Well, their first meeting was not at the best of circumstances, they hated each other's guts and that whole shebang. But now, after hearing the whole story about the breakup and seeing his true personality… was she starting to like the person she had declared as her mortal enemy?

"_There's nothing wrong with liking him," _Kagome thought defensively. _"It's not like I'm falling in love with him or anything…"_

"That is _so_ romantic."

Kagome's eyes bugged out and she looked over her shoulder to see Yuki staring at her. "W-what is?" Kagome stammered.

"You must really love him," Yuki observed with a smile. Kagome looked horrified and shefelt her face burn. Yuki waved her hands placatingly. "Don't be embarrassed. I just saw how fondly you stared at his picture. You two are so in love with each other."

Kagome opened and closed her mouth a couple of times, trying to deny it. Unfortunately, her vocal cords refused to cooperate, so in the end she just decided to shut her mouth and blush a darker shade of red, if that was still possible.

"Eri also told me to fetch you," Yuki continued, giving Kagome's hand a light tug. "The Dating Game's about to begin."

* * *

"I knew you'd be here." 

Sango stopped doing her katha() and turned to the Taekwondo training room doors. She grabbed a towel from the floor and flung it over her shoulders. "What are you doing here, Kanzaki?" She asked with a frown.

Miroku walked towards her. Sango instinctively stepped backward when Miroku was less than three feet away from her. Miroku stopped and stared at her for a moment. "Wow, you changed into your training clothes fast. The game just ended fifteen minutes ago," he observed lightly. Sango gave him a blank look. Miroku immediately turned serious. "You disappeared as soon as the Dating Game was over. I wondered where you went."

Sango flopped down to the floor and blew at her bangs. She watched as Miroku sat a few feet away from her. "Well, you got what you wanted, Kanzaki," she replied, turning away. The gaze Miroku was giving her was making her uncomfortable. He was looking at her differently. "I helped you with Miyu. You chose me, you got to get rid of Miyu, that was it. I didn't find the need to stay longer. What do you want now, Kanzaki?"

Miroku inched closer and tilted his head towards her. "Why did you kiss me?"

Sango sighed loudly. She had a feeling he was going to ask her that. But the few minutes alone in the training hall was all the time she needed to prepare a good answer.

"You know I hate losing," she murmured. "I'd rather die than lose to the likes of Miyu."

"I knew who was who right after you two answered the first question," Miroku informed her softly.

"So now you tell me. How was I supposed to know that?" Sango turned to him, pouting slightly. "During the whole game, your ex gave me all these superior and smug looks that completely pissed me off. She kissed you and dared me wordlessly that I top that off. So I did just that."

Miroku was quiet for a few seconds. "But she didn't kiss me."

Sango's jaw almost touched the floor from shock. "Wha—?"

"She just undid the first few buttons of my shirt, sat on my lap and gave me a quick massage on the shoulders."

"Oh." Sango was too surprised to say anything intelligible. So that was why the boys were was whistling and his fan club looked ready to maim Miyu. Why was she stupid enough to think Miyu actually kissed him? Well, for one thing, Miyu looked like the only thing she ever did was model underwear and kiss and flirt with rich playboys…

Miroku inched ever closer. "Was that the only reason?" He asked. "Because you did not want to lose to Miyu?"

Sango turned to him and stifled a gasp. Miroku was now just beside her, looking at her intently with his dark blue orbs. "Isn't there another reason?" He pressed.

Sango immediately turned away to hide the blush creeping on her cheeks. "What other reason should there be?" She replied quietly.

She heard Miroku shuffle beside her. Sango sighed with relief, thinking he was about to leave. Her eyes widened when Miroku gently held her chin and made her face turn towards him. "Look at me, Sango-chan," he told her softly. "Look me in the eye and tell me the truth."

Sango gulped. She opened her mouth but no words came out. She was speechless. She had never been this close to him, and at this proximity, she could clearly see her reflection on his beautiful navy blue eyes. What was Miroku doing? Was his playboy side kicking in just because of that kiss?

Somebody suddenly cleared his throat behind them. Miroku quickly retracted his hand and he and Sango whirled around to see who it was. Kuranosuke Takeda, the captain of the Taekwondo Club, was standing at the doorway with a bottle of mineral water in his hand.

Sango immediately jumped to her feet. "Sempai!()"

Kuranosuke headed towards the two. "Is there something going on here that I should know?" He queried, raising his brows. He turned to Sango and handed her the bottle of water. "I saw you practicing alone so I thought you'd like a cool bottle of water to refresh yourself."

Sango gratefully accepted. "Thanks, sempai."

Opening the bottle, she took a short sip. She could feel how hot her face was and the water was just the right thing to calm her nerves. After replacing the cap back on the bottle, she looked up to see Kuranosuke eyeing Miroku disdainfully. "Um, Kanzaki and I were just—"

"Just talking about the weather," Miroku finished for her. "I was about to leave, actually." He gave Sango a quick smile and Kuranosuke a curt nod before heading for the exit.

Sango turned to Kuranosuke. He was following Miroku's figure out the door with a slight frown.

"_What in the world just happened?"_ Sango wondered.

* * *

Inuyasha sighed impatiently as he waited for the actual Dating Game to begin. He was on the stage, sitting on one of the stools reserved for the final searchees. Turning to his right, he saw Bankotsu calmly playing a game on his cell phone while beside him, Hojo was breathing into a paper bag given by the English Club officers to stop him from hyperventilating. 

Inuyasha rolled his eyes. _"Pathetic,"_ he thought, clicking his tongue quietly. _"The Dating Game hasn't begun yet and Hobo here is already a nervous wreck."_ Inuyasha vaguely wondered if the photojournalist would turn into a pile of goop the moment the actual game began…

Turning to his left, he saw Kouga yawn. It was weird to be stuck in between two people who whose emotions were at opposite extremes.

After the initial round where the searchees were asked of Kagome's favorite food (oden, of course), the thing she hated the most (high heeled shoes), the name of her pet cat (Buyo) and the thing she wanted to have the most (the five foot stuffed toy cat at Tensaiga Mall), only the four of them remained.

Inuyasha's thoughts were interrupted as Jakotsu suddenly spoke up at the opposite side of the divider. "Is it just me or is everyone else always getting eliminated at the final question?" Jakotsu observed with amusement. "Let me clarify to everyone that this is a dating game, _not_ a beauty pageant. Kagome wants the huge plushie cat, _not_ world peace, okay boys?"

Inuyasha smiled secretly. It was a good thing Miroku told him about the incident at Tensaiga Malls involving his 'girlfriend' and a giant stuffed toy cat with abnormally large eyes. Inuyasha vividly recalled it was his mother's idea to put the cat there to attract good luck. The cat seemed to attract more than good luck by the looks of it…

"Now that's all cleared up, let's call in our beautiful and talented searcher," Jakotsu introduced with a flourish. "The new top archer of Shikon Gakuen, Kagome Higurashi!"

Kagome stepped into the stage, earning a loud applause and admiring whistles from the audience. Jakotsu motioned her to sit down on the stool beside him before handing her a bunch of cue cards containing the questions she was going to ask.

As Kagome squirmed on her seat, Jakotsu did a little pirouette before catching a microphone tossed by Yuki on the sidelines. He strolled over to the other side of the divider to the waiting searchees. "If you have seen the game earlier, the microphone you dashing searchees are going to use is configured to change your voices a _little_." Jakotsu handed the microphone to Bankotsu. "It's a precaution if she happens to knows anyone of you." Jakotsu gave Inuyasha a quick wink and then headed back to the searcher side of the divider.

Inuyasha puffed his cheeks in annoyance as he watched Jakotsu's figure disappear to the other side. Could the tooth fairy get any more obvious? At this rate, everyone will probably realize who he was faster than Miroku could flirt with an underwear model…

"Now let's begin the Dating Game!" Jakotsu announced. "You may begin now, Kagome-chan."

Kagome smiled at the audience before shuffling the cards on her hand nervously. "First question. If I were to be attracted to you, what qualities do you want me to admire in you?" She looked up. "Searchee Number One?"

Bankotsu rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "Well…" His eyes slanted and he stopped short of his answer. He sounded like Darth Vader on the microphone with the extremely low baritone voice, minus the hissing. On the sidelines, Eri motioned him frantically to continue. Bankotsu shrugged. "Well, I think you'll like me because I'm funny, athletic and a natural leader." He then passed the microphone to Hojo, who almost dropped it.

Hojo took a deep breath. "Well, Higurashi-san, I think you'll like me because I'm polite…um…nice, responsible and a straight A student." Hojo contemplated for a moment. "I am also an avid gardener. I can give you all kinds of medicinal herbs and stuff if you happen to get sick."

On the other side of the divider, Kagome sweat-dropped. His answer would have been fine if he had not mentioned the whole medicinal herbs thing. "That's nice, Number Two," Kagome replied politely.

Inuyasha rolled his eyes. Hojo's personality was so uninteresting it reminded him of a doorknob.

"How about you, Searchee Number Three?" Kagome prodded.

Hojo handed Inuyasha the microphone. Inuyasha frowned slightly. What qualities did Kagome like in him? As far as he was concerned, Kagome hated virtually _everything_ about him. Now what would Miroku say?

"I'm not exactly sure what you'll admire about my personality," Inuyasha answered honestly. "Well, I stand up for what I believe in and I don't hesitate to defend people I care about. Other than that, I'm also interesting."

Kagome raised a brow. "Interesting in what way?"

Inuyasha gave a sly smile. "Let's just say everyday you spend with me will never be boring." Well, that was partly true. Almost every day they spent together something beyond the usual happened. "Why don't you pick me later and find out for yourself?"

"I might just do that," Kagome retorted with a grin as she played along. She did not miss the peculiar look Jakotsu was wearing. It was like he knew something going on that she was not aware of, not to mention the beaded bracelet he was wearing was very familiar…

"Searchee Number Four?" Jakotsu pressed.

Kouga cleared his throat. "Kagome-san, I think you'll be attracted to me simply because I am a gentleman," he said confidently. Inuyasha stifled a skeptical snort beside him. Kouga glowered at him for a second before continuing. "I'm humble, loyal and I can be your knight in shining armor when you're in trouble."

"I like that, Searchee Number Four," Kagome responded. Kouga shot Inuyasha a smug look.

Kagome shuffled the cards on her hand. "Searchee Number One, where would you take me on the perfect date?"

"First, we'll go watch a kendo tournament and then we could go to an amusement park and enjoy all the rides," Bankotsu answered without blinking. "Or we could go to a the mountains and snowboard."

"Okay," Kagome said slowly, unable to come up with a more intelligible answer. "I was thinking of a more romantic date as a perfect date, but that would be fun…I guess." The last time she tried to snowboard, she ended up hitting a pine tree…thrice. Ouch. "How about you, Searchee Number Two?"

Hojo smiled bashfully. "I'll take you to the most expensive restaurant in Tokyo and have a small group of musicians serenade us," he began. "Then we will go strolling in a park and enjoy the sakura blossoms in the moonlight. And as a parting gift, I will give you…"

"A bouquet of roses?" Kagome guessed knowingly.

"Even better," Hojo answered eagerly. "A few medicinal herbs I grew myself so you don't have to worry of buying expensive medicines."

Kagome and the rest of the audience keeled over.

"That's very…_caring_ of you," Kagome replied, sweat-dropping as she straightened up. She sat back on her stool and cleared her throat. "Next question. Would you marry for love, money, or looks? What do you say, Searchee Number Four?"

"I'd marry for love, of course," Kouga answered nobly. "As long as I love the girl, money and looks won't matter. If I love the girl, I would go to the ends of the earth for her, climb the highest mountain and swim the deepest ocean." Beside him, Inuyasha was quietly shaking with suppressed laughter. Kouga was not a good swimmer. The last time their families came together for a pool party, Kouga sank like a lead weight to the bottom of the swimming pool. Kouga popped a vein as he eyed Inuyasha from the corner of his eye. "Of course," he added, "that's figuratively speaking."

"That is so poetic, Number Four," Kagome complimented. "You must read a lot of literary works." At the other side of the divider, Kouga threw Inuyasha a smug look after hearing Kagome's praise. "Same question, Searchee Number Three?"

"_Who thought up all these cheesy questions?"_ Inuyasha wondered, eyes half-lidded. A chibi() Jakotsu twirling in his pink tutu suddenly flashed in his mind. _"I shouldn't have asked…"_

"I'd marry for love," Inuyasha said simply before hearing the female audience sigh dreamily. "But that's not the only reason. I'd marry a girl who is not necessarily good looking on the outside but beautiful on the inside, a girl who makes me smile, who stands up for what she believes in, who is funny and caring, and who accepts me for what I am, faults and all."

Inuyasha did not fully realize what just slipped out of his tongue until he lowered the microphone. Did he actually say all those corny things? Man, what was wrong with him? He could have just said he'd marry for love, period.

"Do you believe in destiny, Number Three?" Kagome inquired.

"I'd like to believe something like that exists." Inuyasha shrugged a shoulder. "It's comforting to think that somewhere out there is one person meant for you." An image of Kikyo crossed his mind, only Kikyo seemed to have blue eyes instead of gray…

At the other side of the divider, Kagome's eyes looked wistful. She literally jumped four feet off her chair when Jakotsu cleared his throat loudly behind her. "And the last question, Kagome-chan?" The English officer prompted, smiling.

"Yes, the last question," Kagome looked a little embarrassed from spacing off so suddenly. She read the question from the card she was holding. "Let's say it's my birthday. What present will you give me? Number Two?"

"A special girl like you deserves something equally special," Hojo answered. On the other side of the divider, Kagome crossed her fingers and hoped he would not mention herbal medicines again. "My present for you would be seventeen bouquet of white lilies, since it would be your seventeenth birthday right?" Kagome, looking relieved, grunted lightly in agreement. Hojo, looking pleased that he said her correct age, continued. "Also, I will treat you to any restaurant of your choice."

"I like that, Number Two," Kagome complemented. "So how about you, Searchee Number One?"

"My birthday gift for a beautiful gem like you is a diamond solitaire necklace," Bankotsu responded. "Diamonds are a girl's best friend, right?"

"That's what they say." Kagome nodded in agreement.

"Besides that, I find traveling to other places to be a really memorable and enjoyable thing. My second present for you would be a first class plane ticket heading for your country of choice. You can go to the place you really want to visit, enjoy the sights and sounds, do some sky diving or bungee jumping, and stay at a five star hotel."

"That would be really wonderful," Kagome acknowledged. "Although I think I'll skip the skydiving part." She added hastily in a whisper. She'd rather keep her two feet firmly planted on the ground than lose a lung screaming as she fell to earth from a plane. "How about you, Number Four?"

Kouga grinned confidently. "Since I know you have a thing for cute stuffed toy animals, my gift on your seventeenth birthday will be a hundred plushies, in all their fluffy, cute and pastel glory," he said. "And that is not my only present. I will also give you a blank check, so you can buy anything your heart desires."

"Aren't you scared that I could put too much zeroes in the check if I want to?" Kagome returned. As she waited for Kouga to answer, she shook her head in amusement as she imagined the one hundred plushies flooding the shrine. Oh, her grandfather would have a fit trying to sweep the yard clean from fluffy plushies…

Kouga gave a knowing smile. "I know you'll never do that. And besides I don't care how much I spend, just as long as you are happy on your special day. Nothing is too expensive for you."

Kagome blushed a little. Never had she experienced being complimented so much by boys before. It struck her right then how rich Shikon Gakuen students really were. _"But money cannot always buy happiness,"_ she thought. She exhaled before focusing back on the game. "And last but not the least, Searchee Number Three?"

Inuyasha rubbed his chin pensively for a moment. "Since you're a really excellent archer, my first present would be a new bow and a quiver of arrows to go along with it. My second present would be…" Inuyasha paused, "a new bike. I haven't seen you use it after the tires became flat."

"How did you know it had flat tires?"

Inuyasha mentally kicked himself for that slipup. "Just a guess," he replied flatly. He cleared his throat to change the topic. "And my last and best gift would be the five foot cat at the Tensaiga Mall entrance."

"How are you supposed to get me that kitty?" Kagome scoffed, a playful grin on her face. "Steal it or something?"

"You'd be surprised at what I'm capable of doing," Inuyasha said mysteriously. At the other side of the divider, Kagome frowned suspiciously, the idea that he was potentially a plushie thief running in her mind. Inuyasha realized what she was thinking and snorted. "Oh come on, I'm not going to steal it! I can get you that cat because I happen to have a talent for persuasion."

"Do you know any of the Takahashis by any chance?" Kagome asked curiously.

Inuyasha gulped. He didn't see that question coming. "My family and theirs are—are business partners," he lied. "I'm pretty close with them." Inuyasha hoped Kagome's instincts weren't as sensitive as a lie detector machine.

At the other side of the divider, Kagome bit her lip as she scrunched her brows thoughtfully.

* * *

"So Kagome-chan, who do you choose?" Jakotsu asked with anticipation. 

Kagome stared at her hands resting on her lap. Who should she choose? Searchee Number One looked like a complete sports buff, Number Two was sweet but he was like a walking apothecary with all the talk about medicinal herbs, Number Three was a mysterious, potentially plushie-stealing guy, and Number Four sounded gallant but she found him too much of a flatterer.

But there was something bothering Kagome. She had a feeling she knew Searchee Number Three. And if his answer on the last question was to indeed true, the only person in Shikon Gakuen close enough with Inuyasha is Miroku…but there are lots of boys from other schools who joined the Dating Game that Inuyasha's family was probably close to, so she could not be sure with that one. But still, she had overheard Yuki and Eri say that Miroku had an extra ticket for her Dating Game. But why didn't it feel like Miroku?

"So who's the lucky guy, Kagome-chan?" Jakotsu prodded after Kagome did not respond the first time.

Hopefully, the boy she chose would not turn into an obnoxious lecher. But with the answers he gave earlier, Kagome was quite confident he wasn't.

Kagome took a deep breath and looked up. "I choose Searchee Number Two."

* * *

Inuyasha looked at Kouga. 

Kouga stared back at him.

Did he just hear what he thought he heard? Kagome chose—

He and Kouga swiveled their heads simultaneously to the boy who almost passed out after Kagome chose him. The two had their eyes slanted as Hojo wiped a tear of happiness from his eye.

This was unbelievable. How could Kagome choose Hobo—er—Hojo? Why not somebody more interesting, like Bankotsu…or _himself_?

"Now let's meet the people you did not pick, Kagome-chan," he heard Jakotsu announce on the other side of the divider.

Eri and Yuki climbed to their side of the stage and handed Inuyasha, Kouga and Bankotsu a single red rose each, which they would give to Kagome as soon as Jakotsu called them. On the other hand, Hojo, the lucky guy who was currently looking overwhelmed and teary-eyed, received a bouquet of roses from Eri.

Inuyasha sighed as he stared at the lovely rose in hand. Why did he feel…disappointed? Shouldn't he feel happy Kagome did not pick Kouga? After all, that was his point in joining the Dating Game, so Kagome could choose anyone else _except_ Kouga.

_"You wanted her to choose you, didn't you?"_ A voice inside him asked.

_"Of course not."_ Inuyasha scowled a little. Great, this was just what he needed right now, an argument with a voice in his head. _"She's nowhere near Kikyo in talent, beauty and brains. And besides, at least she didn't pick the wolf."_

_"Keep telling yourself that,"_ the irritating voice countered. _"Denial is not a good thing."_

_"Shut up will you?"_ Inuyasha shook his head in hopes of getting rid of the pesky voice.

He was jolted back to reality when he felt somebody lightly tap him on his arm. It was Yuki, who was eyeing him curiously. "You're on," she whispered.

"Searchee Number Three?" Jakotsu announced again. Inuyasha noticed then that the entire audience was gawking at him, mainly because he did not respond the first time he was called.

Inuyasha stole a quick glance at the stools beside him. All the seats were empty, except for Hojo, who was staring at him like he had sprouted a second head. Inuyasha instantly realized Bankotsu and Kouga had already been called. He furrowed his brows in puzzlement. It was strange that Kouga was called before him, considering he was the third searchee while Kouga was the fourth. He speculated that Jakotsu must want him to come in last to make a dramatic entrance or something.

Inuyasha stood up and headed to the other side of the divider.

It was time to face the music.

* * *

Kagome flopped down on the bench near Shikon Gakuen's parking lot. Inuyasha had just called her and told her to meet him there because they need to talk about "some things." Kagome twiddled her fingers nervously. It was obvious he wanted to confront her about the archery tournament between her and Kikyo. 

Kagome stared at the blue backpack on her lap. It contained her archery uniform and the lavender dress she had worn earlier. The English Club was gracious enough to let her keep the dress, saying it was their way of thanking her for participating in their activity. The bouquet of roses Hojo had given was lying beside her on the bench. She had also inserted the three other roses the other searchees had given into the bouquet for easy carrying. Her trusty bow was leaning on the edge of the bench beside her.

Kagome sighed lightly. So many things had happened today that it was overwhelming. The archery tournament, Kikyo's confession, and the Dating Game were more action and excitement than she bargained for in a single day.

"Hey."

Kagome looked up to see Kouga smiling amicably at her. She returned with a grin of her own. "Hi, Kouga-kun."

"Mind if I sit down?" He asked.

Kagome shook her head and quickly picked up the bouquet to give Kouga some space to sit on. She placed the flowers on her lap and started playing with the white lace that tied the handle of the bouquet.

"Interesting game that was, huh?" Kouga began as he leaned back and watched Kagome with his blue eyes. "I never thought you'd pick that Hojo guy. I didn't know you like guys who grow herbs."

Kagome gave a short giggle and turned to look at him. "Well, he was the one who sounded really sincere and sweet, not counting the whole medicinal herbs thing. Besides, my grandpa would enjoy his herbs if he ever gives me some." Her eyes sparkled with amusement. "You, on the other hand, flatter me too much."

"It wasn't flattery," Kouga replied, looking up at the sky. It was starting to turn orange in the afternoon sun. "It was the truth, Kagome-san." He looked back at her and noticed she had blushed considerably. "You're very pretty even when you look flustered. I wonder why my cousin is using somebody as nice and beautiful as you to get her old girlfriend back."

Kagome's eyes widened. "How did you—?"

"Know?" Kouga finished for her. He gave her a knowing smile. "You do know I'm a wolf youkai, Kagome-san, right?"

Kagome nodded, not knowing where he was heading.

"I can smell." Kouga pointed at his nose. "You hardly have his scent on you, unlike Sanada-san, when she was still his girlfriend."

Kagome looked at him with fascination. "So is that the reason you keep," Kagome paused briefly to come up with the appropriate word, "chasing after me? You knew all along Inuyasha and I weren't a real couple?"

"Of course," Kouga answered. "I wouldn't chase after a girl if she was already hooked up with somebody else."

Kagome's attention focused on the red buds in the bouquet. "Is that also the reason why other boys are also chasing after me even if they see me and Inuyasha being affectionate in public?"

"Maybe, but there's not very many youkai who have a good sense of smell," Kouga explained, stretching his arms on the bench's backrest. "It's usually wolf and dog youkai who have a keen sense of smell. The reason why many boys like you is because you really are beautiful, smart and talented. You're the whole package. I doubt they know you two are pretending."

"Does Takahashi know about this?"

Kouga smirked as Kagome called her so-called boyfriend by his surname. He looked up and focused on the clouds floating by. "Let's just say that if he didn't know then, I'm sure he does after your Dating Game."

Kagome was about to ask what he meant by that when Kouga suddenly perked up and withdrew his arms. "Well, I got to go. Your _boyfriend_ is coming." He stood up and gave her a charming smile. "See you around, Kagome-san." He gave her a small salute with his index and middle finger before digging his hands to his pockets and casually strolling off.

Kagome turned around. True enough, Inuyasha was heading at her direction, his ebony hair blown lightly by the wind. Reaching her side, he frowned as his amethyst eyes focused the bouquet on her lap.

"Why were you talking to that wolf?" He demanded.

Kagome picked up the things in her lap and stood up. "It was nothing. Just casual, friendly conversation. You don't have to get upset."

Inuyasha rolled his eyes as he snatched the bag Kagome was carrying. "Really now?" He asked skeptically as he started walking towards his car. "Then why was his arm on your shoulders?"

Kagome sighed tiredly. "It wasn't," she clarified, staying patient. "It was on the backrest of the bench." She quickened her pace so she was walking beside him. "Why are you not in good terms with Kouga-kun anyway? He seems nice if you ask me."

Inuyasha turned his car's alarm off and unlocked the passenger door. "It's none of your business, Higurashi," he replied curtly as he opened the door for her. He watched as Kagome pouted. "It's a family thing, you won't understand. Now get in, will you?"

Kagome sighed and let the matter drop. She flopped on the passenger seat and watched as Inuyasha seated himself on the driver's side. "Where are we going, Takahashi?" She asked quietly as Inuyasha started the car.

Inuyasha released the emergency brake and eased the car out of the parking area. "Somewhere quiet where we can talk."

Kagome was itching to ask where exactly this quiet place was but she bit her tongue and chose to focus on the scenery whipping past them instead. Inuyasha was probably going to get more irritated if she pestered him with more questions. Deciding it was way too stressful to focus on the whole Inuyasha-Kikyo thing right now, she let her thoughts wander to the Dating Game earlier instead.

_Flashback._

Kagome gave the two roses in her hand a quick sniff. Her face lit up with amusement. She never expected that the two people she did not pick happened to be two people she knew. She threw Kouga and Bankotsu a quick look from the corner of her eye as they stood a few feet behind her. She would never have guessed Bankotsu was a sports buff or Kouga was a huge flatterer.

"Searchee Number Three?" She heard Jakotsu announce again.

Kagome looked up. Why wasn't the third searchee coming out? Did she hurt his feelings or did he get angry because she did not choose him? Kagome hoped not.

Kagome sighed with relief as she saw his figure emerge from the divider. Since he was looking down, the visor of his cap hid his face, but Kagome saw the long silver hair trailing his back. She definitely didn't know any boy with silver hair…so why did her guts tell her earlier she knew him? She shifted her weight from one foot to the other. Why was this person making her absolutely nervous?

"Meet the third searchee that you did not choose, Kagome-chan," Jakotsu said beside her.

At that moment, the boy looked up. Kagome gasped quietly. Standing before her was the most handsome boy she had ever seen. He was staring at her intently with his hauntingly beautiful amber eyes. Kagome squinted slightly. She was perfectly sure she had seen him somewhere, in a dream or portrait perhaps?

For some strange reason, Kagome couldn't look away. She felt like drowning in those intense golden orbs. And he looked like he had no intention of breaking their eye contact either. Kagome could have sworn time stopped while they were gazing into each other's eyes…into each other's soul.

"It's really cute the way you're staring at each other like that but the Dating Game isn't over yet," Jakotsu commented with an entertained grin.

Kagome blinked and realized what she was doing. She hastily looked down and muttered a quick apology to the silver-haired searchee.

Kagome's eyes widened when he took her hand and gently gave her the rose. She looked at him and noticed that his tense look was replaced with an expression of relief and a soft smile was playing on his lips.

"Aren't you going to give her a little kiss?" Jakotsu suggested.

The silver-haired searchee looked at Jakotsu with slanted eyes, as if willing him to drop dead that instant.

Kagome cast the fairy of love a surprised look. She was supposed to be the one to give the searchees she did not choose a complimentary kiss on the cheek. Was it just her or was something going on right under her nose?

She noticed the searchee standing before her clear his throat a little uncomfortably. Deciding that it was better that she get this over and done with, Kagome tiptoed to give him a quick kiss on the cheek.

At that exact moment, he leaned in to give her a kiss on the cheek as well.

They met halfway, accidentally kissing each other lightly on the lips.

They gasped in unison and quickly pulled away. Kagome turned away and shut her eyes tightly from embarrassment. That was not what she had anticipated. And goodness, her first kiss on the lips was from a person she didn't even know.

Before she could completely collect her thoughts, Jakotsu called out the searchee she picked. She was pleasantly surprised to know that she had picked none other than her junior high school classmate, Hojo.

Kagome was still in a slight daze as she awarded Hojo his kiss on the cheek and received his bouquet. With Jakotsu announcing the end of the Dating Game, Kagome stole a glance at the silver-haired searchee standing with Kouga and Bankotsu behind her. She saw that he was about to leave.

Kagome was about to go after him when Eri suddenly pulled her to the spot beside Hojo so they could have their picture taken for posterity. She looked over her shoulder just in time to see his silver hair disappear in the crowd.

"_Who are you?"_

_End of Flashback._

"We're here," Inuyasha said, stepping out of his black Lamborghini.

Kagome blinked. She looked out of the car window to find out that they had parked in front of a vine-covered wall leading to what seemed like a private park.

Inuyasha opened her door. "Are you just going to sit there and look stupid?"

Kagome frowned. Just when she was starting to look at Inuyasha in a new light, he just had to start being obnoxious again. "Are we going inside?" She asked as she stepped out with her backpack and bow in tow.

"Duh." Inuyasha rolled his eyes. "And leave your bag and bow behind. No one's going to steal your old archery uniform or your rickety bow."

Kagome had this sudden urge to impale him with a dozen arrows. She tossed her things back into the passenger seat and slammed the car door shut as hard as she could, hoping that it would cause one of his headlights to pop out and break. "Somebody's grouchy today."

Inuyasha didn't reply as he marched to the small gate. An old caretaker welcomed them and let them in.

"Wow," Kagome whispered, her mouth curving into a smile of surprise and admiration. They were in a breathtaking garden, even more beautiful than that of the Takahashi estate.

* * *

Inuyasha threw a glance at Kagome from the corner of his eye as they walked through the lovely garden. Kagome had become unusually quiet after they had entered the private park that housed one of Japan's most beautiful gardens, that is, besides the one maintained at the Takahashi estate. 

Inuyasha knew Kagome was expecting him to ask about the archery tournament with the way she was wringing her hands together nervously. But right at that moment, he didn't feel like asking her…yet. On the light of the late afternoon sun, he was busy admiring the orange glow that radiated off of Kagome's pale skin and the orange sheen reflected by her ebony hair.

She reminded him so much of Kikyo in terms of physical appearance, but that was it. Kikyo was not the type to wring her hands or bite her lips when she was nervous. She was collected and reserved, never showing more emotion than what was needed. His vision traveled to Kagome's lips, which she was currently biting hard out of nerves. The same lips he had kissed by mistake when they were fumbling uncomfortably on stage.

Inuyasha frowned and looked away. _"By _ACCIDENT_, of course,"_ he told himself as he felt his face heat up. _"Nothing more… She doesn't even know it was me anyway." _His eyes turned half-lidded with annoyance. _"Stupid hormones…"_

"Who does this garden belong to?" Kagome asked timidly in an attempt at conversation.

Inuyasha snapped out of his thoughts and lazily kicked a pebble on the ground. "My mom's," he replied nonchalantly. "Her family has a thing for gardening. This used to belong to my grandparents before they gave it to mom as part of her inheritance."

"Oh," Kagome said, her voice barely audible.

There was a pregnant pause as they continued with their casual stroll.

"My mom loves going here," Inuyasha suddenly continued. "She used to take me a lot here when I was in preschool and early elementary. This was our little private paradise in the middle of bustling Tokyo." Inuyasha's lips quirked into a smile as he remembered.

Kagome eye's softened as she turned to look at him. "That's wonderful." She gave a small, sincere smile. After all, it was not everyday that Inuyasha revealed something about his past.

Reaching a bench near a sakura tree, Inuyasha sat down. Kagome followed suit, sitting about two feet away from him. He felt her tense up all over again, expecting the confrontation. Might as well get on with the inevitable.

"You probably know what I'm going to ask," Inuyasha began as he eyed Kagome intently, "but I'm going to ask anyway. Why did you join the tournament without telling me?" He forced his eyes to look away from her pink lips and concentrate on her face in general. He had Kikyo, for pity's sake. This was no time for his hormones to take control.

He heard Kagome sigh loudly before she lifted her face and looked at him. "Because I wanted to get you two back together in the fastest way possible," she answered quietly. "But I had the feeling you wouldn't like my way of getting you two back together, so I didn't tell you."

Inuyasha's brows shot up. "You could tell me something as personal as your dad and your home life but you couldn't tell me about your plan involving me and Kikyo?" He asked, a little incredulously.

Kagome pouted. "You're not exactly Mr. Calm and Collected. You get so touchy whenever things involving Kikyo are brought up."

"I do not!" Inuyasha denied for the sake of argument. Kagome looked at him skeptically. "Fine, maybe a little…What do you expect anyway?"

Much as he hated to admit it, Kagome had a point. There was a 99.99 percent probability that he would not agree with her method of getting them back together if he knew. Darn, he just hated her talent of being able to read his mind.

"But you won," Inuyasha stated, scrunching his brows in puzzlement. "Sango told me you were supposed to lose on purpose."

Kagome gave a small, impish smile and stared at her hands on her lap. "Because I thought it was too easy for her if I just handed you back just like that," she answered, half embarrassed. "She did break up with you; she has to earn you back. You deserve that much, at least."

Inuyasha blushed, touched by her reason. He vaguely wondered if he was talking to the same violent Kagome Higurashi that he was constantly in verbal arguments with.

"It's silly, ne?" Kagome snorted lightly. Inuyasha was about to answer heatedly that it was nowhere near silly but she continued before he could speak out. "But that was not the only reason," she narrated. "As you know, I made this deal with her. But I added one more thing to my side of the deal if I ever managed to win."

"And that would be?" Inuyasha pressed patiently.

Kagome inhaled shakily. "You never told me the exact reason why she broke up with you," she said. "So—"

"So you wanted to know the reason why," Inuyasha finished, frowning. His temper suddenly flared but he took a deep breath to try and stay cool and reasonable. "That's private, Higurashi. Why do you want to know?"

"Because…" Kagome clenched her hands tightly. "Because I wanted to know if helping you get her back was the right thing."

"You mean getting her back is wrong?" Inuyasha could not help raising his voice. "You should learn to butt out of things you have no business in!"

Kagome looked at him stubbornly. "But I'm helping you get her back! I deserve to know the reason, at least!"

Inuyasha noticed they were leaning towards the other, once again engaged in a face-to-face screaming argument. He shut his eyes and pulled back with a sigh. "Fine," he conceded. He turned away and focused his attention on a butterfly fluttering on a nearby rosebush. So that was the reason why she and Kikyo were talking on the rooftop.

"So what did she say her reason was?" His heart beat painfully as he waited for her answer. Talk about ironic. Kagome knew the reason before he did, and he was the one who got dumped.

Kagome, taken aback by his sudden concession, stared at his profile regretfully. "I…I can't tell you."

Inuyasha whirled around. "And why the hell not?"

Kagome looked at him sadly. "Because I think it would be better if Kikyo herself told you this." She took his right hand and gave it a tight squeeze with her smaller hands. "Please understand. I want to tell you myself…" Kagome's eyes suddenly looked glassy but she shut them and continued, "but I feel you need to know it from the girl you love rather than from a stranger like me."

Inuyasha closed his eyes. "I understand," he said after a few seconds. He wanted to know the reason badly but he had to respect Kagome's decision of not telling him. She was right, in a way. Maybe this was how it was meant to be…maybe it was not yet time for him to know the reason behind Kikyo's untimely breakup.

He cracked his eyes open and looked at her from the corner of his eyes. "But I don't think you're a stranger. After two weeks of pretending, shouldn't we be friends technically?" He noticed Kagome still had not released his hands from her grasp. Not the he minded, it felt kind of nice actually.

Kagome raised a brow. "You're telling me we're friends?" She asked, grinning. "Aren't we mortal enemies forced to work together because of cruel fate?"

Inuyasha rolled his eyes and threw her an amused look. "Maybe…maybe not."

Kagome released his hand and hit him lightly on the arm. "Are you sure you're Inuyasha Takahashi? He wasn't this nice before."

"And are you sure you're Kagome Higurashi? She never complained about her three inch heels during the Dating Game." Inuyasha returned slyly.

Kagome turned beet red and clapped a hand on her mouth. "You watched that?"

"Well, the entire school was watching so I did too, what the heck," Inuyasha replied lightly as he shrugged. "I actually felt like I was a contestant in the game, in fact. You asked the cheesiest questions, did you know?"

Kagome hit him lightly on the arm again. "Well, excuse me for being cheesy," she said with a laugh. "I was just reading the questions given to me by the fairy of love."

Inuyasha rubbed the spot that she had hit twice. "Your best friend's violent attitude is rubbing in on you." He smirked as she stuck her tongue out. He inched closer to her so their shoulders were actually touching. "I'm curious though. Was it your first kiss?"

Kagome's grin was instantly replaced with horror and she buried her face in her hands in humiliation. "Uhuh," she answered, her voice muffled.

Inuyasha licked his lips and stooped over to her. "Did you by any chance know that _unlucky_ guy who gave you the kiss? I saw most of the female audience swooning at him." He tried to make his voice as light and teasing as possible to prevent Kagome from getting suspicious.

Kagome lifted her face up and puffed her cheeks. "Hey, it wasn't my fault I haven't kissed a boy on the lips before," she retorted. "And why is he supposed to be the unlucky one? I should be the unlucky one. I kissed a complete stranger on the lips and that didn't even technically count as an actual kiss on the lips."

Inuyasha watched her with amusement as she ranted. She was even cuter when she was blushing and all flustered. He suddenly pretended to look thoughtful. "Maybe he's not a complete stranger. Maybe you've met him somewhere before, in a bus or train, and now he's stalking you." He nodded in mock seriousness. "He could probably be here in the gardens with us right now."

"Ha ha, very funny, Takahashi." Kagome's eyes slanted. She suddenly looked pensive. "But I do think I have seen him somewhere…I'm not sure if it's in a photograph, painting or a dream…"

Inuyasha suddenly gulped.

"He was very handsome though," Kagome admitted as giggled. "Just about as good looking as you."

Inuyasha raised his brows. "What do you mean 'just about'?"

"Well, he looked like a nice guy…unlike some obnoxious people I know." Kagome then burst out laughing as she watched Inuyasha pout and feign a hurt look.

Kagome suddenly stopped laughing when Inuyasha suddenly put a hand on her hair. "What are you doing?" She asked, a blush rising on her cheeks.

Inuyasha smiled and pulled off a pink sakura petal from her bangs. "You had this on your hair." He then blew the petal from his palm and watched it get carried away by the soft breeze.

"Hey, Higurashi," he started as the petal disappeared from view.

Kagome looked up at him expectantly.

Inuyasha looked down at her. "Can I call you Kagome?" Her eyes bugged out with disbelief. Inuyasha shifted uncomfortably. "I-it's one syllable less than Higurashi and is a lot easier to say."

A strong breeze blew, making more petals from the sakura tree dance in the wind and cascade on the garden below.

Kagome looked up as they were showered with sakura petals. She suddenly reached out to his hair and pulled out a sakura petal from his ebony locks. She blew the petal away and gave him a charming smile. "I'd like that a lot…_Inuyasha_."

* * *

**A/N:** Wohoo! After about 20 plus scenario changes, a hundred plus revisions and edits, I finally finished it! _:does happy dance:_

Now for the translations. Katha in martial arts is like doing the various skills you learn and performing them together in a set, like in a dance. Was that vague? O.o It's hard to explain, so excuse me for that. Sempai is what younger students in Japan call their older counterparts. Say, you're a year younger, so you call somebody a grade higher than you as sempai. If you don't recognize Kuranosuke Takeda, the Taekwondo Club captain, he's the guy who asked Sango to marry him after they defeated a bear demon or something in the series. Chibi is like the mini (often deformed) version of a character.

**Next chapter preview:**

**_Naraku:_** _:dressed in a babbon suit:_ Next on The Substitute: dinner dates, spying jealous hanyous, silver hair, golden eyes and a plot by your truly. Kukuku.

**_Kouga:_** _:suddenly pushed forward by an unknown force:_ What the crap am I doing in the next chapter teaser? _:frowns at Naraku:_ Why are you wearing that thing again?

**_Naraku:_** It makes me look mysterious.. _:does evil 'kukuku' laugh. Kouga looks at him skeptically:_ Alright, fine! I ran out of clothes to wear, you happy now?

_:Sailor Helios appears after a puff of smoke:_

**_Sailor Helios:_** I'm here to save the day! _:tosses Naraku a box:_

**_Naraku:_** _:opens the box and pops a vein as he holds up a pink tutu:_ You're not seriously telling me to wear this, are you?

**_Sailor Helios:_** Why not? It's the only available costume we have right now. And it's way better than your baboon pelt thingie.

**_Jakotsu:_** _:at the background:_ That's right, honey!

**_Kouga:_** _:eyes slanted:_ Freaks_…:turns to audience:_ Next on The Substitute, "Fire Flowers." _:turns to his right to see Sailor Helios and Jakotsu wrestling with Naraku to try to make him wear the tutu:_ And the authoress would like to know your feedback on this story. Was it weird, good or exceptionally disturbing? _:rolls his eyes and walks away as Sailor Helios and Jakotsu high five in the background as they watch their handiwork on Naraku: _Freaks_…_


	17. Fire Flowers

Hi people! How's everyone doing? _:cringes at the sight of angry reviewers:_

Yes, I haven't updated in more than three months, I know. I'm very very sorry for that. I kind of lost interest in Inuyasha so I did not have any inspiration writing this for a while. Ask Iris (my e-mail fairy), she knows. _:grins: _

Anyways, this was supposed to be a two-chapter update, but since I'm having trouble with chapter 18…so I decided to just post this up. I thought it was unfair if I kept you waiting too long, since this chapter was long finished (about more than a week ago).

Have you noticed something? Yes, I changed the chapter title. I thought this title suited this chapter more. You'll find out why.

Before you read the chapter, let me give you a rundown at the key events that happened on the previous chapters to refresh you guys. 1.) Kagome wins the archery tourney over Kikyo; 2.) Kagome finds out from Kikyo that Inuyasha is a hanyou; 3) Sango wins over Miyu on Miroku's Dating Game; 4.) Inuyasha enters Kagome's Dating Game in his hanyou form, only to lose to Hojo in the end; 5.) Kagome and Inuyasha have a fluffy talk at a private park somewhere and they agree to call each other by their first names. Hmmm_…:scratches head: _I guess that's about it. That's what I remember anyway. _:LOL:_

Thank you all of you lovely people who have read and reviewed my humble little fic, and for still supporting me even if my updates are far and few in between. I love you guys for sticking with me through all this time. _:hands readers Inuyasha plushies:_

Thanks also goes to my e-mail fairy, Iris-chan, for notifying me about the threats—er, reviews—I've been receiving. I needed that push to keep me from completely slacking off (or losing interest in Inuyasha).

And last but not the least, many thanks to my best friend, Xenon-chan, for being my beta reader. Thankies, best friend!

**Disclaimer:** I said it then, I'll say it again. I don't own Inuyasha. He belongs to the talented Rumiko Takahashi. I just borrowed her surname for Inuyasha…I'm sure she won't mind. _:grins:_

**Chapter 17**

**Fire Flowers**

Kagome stared at her reflection before finger combing her ebony hair, which fell into soft waves around her face. Her three-hour makeover session with Kaguya at The Looking Glass taught her a few things about applying make-up and fixing her hair. Kagome bit her lip thoughtfully. Okay, so maybe she wasn't as good as Kaguya when it came to using beauty products, but she looked decent…well, more decent that she expected thirty minutes earlier.

Kagome twirled around, the skirt of her dress blooming slightly as she did. She was wearing a beautiful white dress dotted with faint prints of blossoming pink roses. Her creamy white sandals complimented her look.

"_Not bad,"_ Kagome admitted with a contented smile.

Half an hour ago, Kagome was struggling with the make-up, which, along with a dozen other beauty implements, was courtesy of The Looking Glass. Since she never applied make-up herself, Kagome was half wishing Sango would somehow magically pop out from the floor and help her. But since Sango herself had a date to night, well, that was not about to happen.

Kagome suddenly noticed Buyo weaving in between her legs. "Hi, Buyo-chan!" she greeted her pet cheerfully as she bent down and picked him up. She lightly patted the tubby cat on the nose. "So how do I look?"

Buyo meowed, as if voicing his approval on her looks.

Kagome laughed. "Extremely ravishing you say?" she said, feigning to look flattered. "Why thank you, Buyo-chan." Kagome often talked to her cat. Buyo was an extremely good listener and her ever-loyal confidant. As far as Kagome was concerned, Buyo was even better than a diary as a form of catharsis.

Kagome then headed to her bed and sat down, with Buyo lying comfortably on her lap. Kagome looked down at him fondly and started rubbing him behind the ears. As Buyo curled up into a more comfortable position, Kagome stole a glance at the alarm clock on her bedside table. Hojo was going to arrive any time soon.

"Hey, Buyo." Kagome turned her attention back to the cat on her lap. Buyo purred lightly. "Did you know Sango called earlier and begged me to make our separate dates into a double date?" Kagome chuckled. "And here I was expecting her to be giddy because she gets to spend a romantic dinner date with her crush." She clicked her tongue in amusement. "My best friend is such a denial queen."

Buyo suddenly reached for Kagome's cellular phone lying just beside her. Kagome affectionately hit Buyo's paw and picked the phone up so it was away from his reach. "Bad Buyo-chan," she chided lightly. "Cell phones aren't toys, okay?"

As she continued to pat Buyo on the head, she absentmindedly flipped her phone open. Her cell phone wallpaper was Inuyasha's candid smile that she captured with her camera phone while he was with Shippou. Kagome did not know what possessed her to make his picture as her phone's wallpaper. Maybe because she loved looking at him smiling like this. It was a genuine smile that showed the true Inuyasha beneath the seemingly obnoxious and cold-hearted exterior.

Kagome bent down and showed the picture to her cat. "He's pretty good-looking, isn't he, Buyo-chan?" She suddenly smiled wistfully. She stared at the picture again. "I wish he'd smile at me like that someday." She blushed when she realized what she had just said. She hit herself mentally. _"You're crazy, Kagome! Why would you want him to smile at you like that?"_

Buyo suddenly nudged Kagome's hand, interrupting her thoughts. She realized she had stopped patting her cat. She shook her head to clear her thoughts. "It's strange, Buyo," she mumbled as she resumed running her hand through her cat's head. "I feel a little guilty going on this date, like I'm betraying Taka—Inuyasha." Kagome caught herself in time and smirked in amusement. She was still getting used to calling her "boyfriend" by his first name. "It's a really strange feeling. I'm feeling guilty and I'm not even his real girlfriend…"

Buyo gave a soft purr. Kagome looked down and rubbed the cat behind the ears. "I wonder what Inuyasha's doing now." She gazed at her window and to the stars that quietly twinkled from the heavens. It reminded her of the view from his balcony when she stayed at the Takahashi mansion.

Her door suddenly opened. Souta popped his head in, interrupting her reverie. "Hey, onee-san," he informed her. "Your date's here."

* * *

Sango bit her lip as she nervously wrung her hands. She was at the living room, waiting for Miroku to come pick her up. 

Kohaku plopped down beside her on the sofa, noisily sipping his chocolate drink. "First time I've seen you go out on a date, ane-ue," he observed, grinning like a Cheshire cat. "Who's the _unlucky_ guy you managed to force to go out with you?"

Sango hit her brother lightly on the arm. "For your information, this isn't the first time I've gone on a date," she replied, pretending to look insulted. She then gave her brother a fond grin. "Takeda-sempai took me a couple of months ago to that party they had at the Takahashi mansion. I think it was Izayoi-san's birthday."

"That was almost a year ago," Kohaku corrected. "You really should stop scaring boys, ane-ue, so they can ask you out," he added jokingly. "You've been dateless for almost a year."

Sango leaned back on the sofa and stared at Kohaku with a neutral expression. "Boys are not at the top of my priority list, Kohaku," she retorted. A sly grin suddenly appeared on her face. "At least I'm not like you. You've been crushing on Rin-chan since second grade and you haven't even had a decent conversation with her up until now…and you're already in _fifth_ grade."

Kohaku blushed crimson and turned away. Sango chose that time to recall her date with Kuranosuke.

Sango and her family had been invited to attend Izayoi's birthday party at the Takahashi mansion. And much to her delight, Kuranosuke asked if he could be her date at that occasion, so they could have each other to talk to at the said gathering. Since her father was probably going to spend the whole time talking to business partners and clients, Sango was ecstatic to go with him. And that wasn't the only reason she was excited. After all, it was not everyday that your crush invited you to go on a date, even if it was just a friendly, non-romantic sort. She had a crush on him since elementary since they go to the same Taekwondo class.

Sango sighed. It was too bad Kuranosuke treated her like a little sister rather than a possible love interest. But that was more than a year ago. Kuranosuke was now just a close friend, almost a big brother, and nothing more.

"So who's this lucky bloke you're going out with tonight?" Kohaku inquired, finally getting over his embarrassment earlier.

"Miroku Kanzaki," Sango replied mechanically.

Kohaku sipped his drink thoughtfully. "Is he nice?" he asked quietly.

Sango shifted her weigh on the sofa and faced her little brother. "He's weird," she began, finding a suitable word to describe Miroku, besides "perverted" and "playboy". "He's quite nice, I guess." Kohaku may have a mischievous streak in him but Sango knew he was very protective when it came to her well being. She placed a hand on his shoulder comfortingly. "Don't worry, Kohaku. I'll break his nose if he messes with me."

"I'll break more than his nose if he breaks your heart," Kohaku told her seriously.

Sango affectionately pushed a few clumps of his hair away from his face. "This is only a harmless dinner date as a consequence of helping him get rid of his overzealous, flirty, underwear modeling girlfriend. Don't worry, okay?"

Kohaku nodded hesitantly, not really sure with what to make up of his sister's explanation about some underwear model. _"I know you were disappointed with your date with Kuranosuke, ane-ue,"_ he thought, staring at his anxious looking sister. _"But I think you really like this Miroku guy, seeing how much you've prepared yourself for this date."_

Kohaku had heard quite a lot about a certain infamous playboy in Shikon Gakuen with a surname of Kanzaki. Kohaku prayed that this was not the guy her sister was going out tonight, for her sake. His thoughts were interrupted when their maid entered the room.

"Someone is here to see you, Miss," the old maid announced softly.

Sango nodded and nervously got on her feet. With Kohaku quietly trailing behind her, Sango proceeded to the front door.

* * *

Kagome descended down the flight of stairs, all the while thankful her heels were not extremely high or pencil thin. Reaching the bottom step, she immediately saw Hojo talking animatedly with her mother and grandfather. 

Hojo got along pretty well with her mother since they shared a passion for gardening. Grandpa Higurashi liked him because Hojo almost always brought him tea or some form of herbal product. It was only Souta who did not seem to be completely sold out to Hojo. Kagome would frown with disapproval when Souta would call Hojo "The Wimp" every time he visited the shrine when they were still in junior high.

Mrs. Higurashi's eyes sparkled when she saw her lovely young daughter. "Oh, here's Kagome now, Hojo-kun."

Hojo whirled around and immediately blushed when his gaze landed on his date. Kagome stood in front of him expectantly and gave him a friendly smile. She had always imagined that she would feel excited and giddy with anticipation before a date. But right now, she did not feel any of those. Maybe it was because on her first actual date, she was going out with a boy she was close to and whom she treated almost like a brother.

"You're beautiful, Higurashi-san," Hojo complimented after a few seconds of struggling to find his voice. True to what he said during the Dating Game, Hojo handed her a bouquet of white lilies.

Kagome's blue eyes brightened. "Thank you for the flowers, Hojo-kun. They're lovely."

Hojo blushed some more and rubbed the back of his head bashfully.

"I think you two should better get going," Mrs. Higurashi notified. "You are going on a double date with Sango, aren't you?"

Kagome nodded and headed to the door with Hojo closely following behind her.

"And Kagome?" Mrs. Higurashi called out as Hojo opened the door for her. Kagome turned slightly and looked at her mother keenly. "Remember the curfew, okay? Before eleven, Cinderella. You still have classes tomorrow."

Kagome and Hojo laughed lightly at Mrs. Higurashi's joke. "Hai, Mama," she answered.

"I want my first great grandchild to be a boy!" Grandpa Higurashi announced eagerly as soon as Kagome and her date were gone.

Mrs. Higurashi sweat-dropped. "But Pa, Kagome's only sixteen and this is just her first date."

"_So_?"

Mrs. Higurashi could only sigh exasperatedly.

Meanwhile, Souta looked up from the Gameboy he was playing at the corner. "What a wimp," he muttered to himself as his grandfather's ranting about the joys of having a dozen great grandchildren permeated in the background. "It would be a gazillion times cooler if she was going on a date with Inu-oniisan instead."

* * *

Miroku's breath hitched in his throat when his gaze fell upon Sango. She was breathtakingly beautiful with her hair down and simple light magenta dress. Miroku hid a smile. He was still getting used to seeing her without her trademark ponytail, sporty tank tops and jogging pants. Sango very seldom wore a skirt, much less a dress. The only skirt Miroku remembered Sango wear was the prescribed school uniform. 

"You take my breath away, Sango-chan," he told her smoothly, planting a kiss on the back of her hand.

Sango looked away and blushed.

"And of course, your favorite flowers," Miroku added. Sango looked at him questioningly. Miroku grinned a sly grin and whipped out the bouquet of white roses he had been hiding behind his back.

Sango's eyes widened for a second before she threw Miroku a smile of appreciation. "Thank you, Kanzaki," she said softly as the sniffed the immaculate white flowers.

At the background, Miroku saw Kohaku studying him quietly. "And you must be her little brother," he guessed. "Kohaku, right?" He extended a hand at him and Kohaku shook it politely while Sango watched nearby.

Looking back at Sango, he held out his arm. "Ready to go, Sango-chan?" he asked lightly.

Sango, her cheeks still a little red, nodded wordlessly. Just as she was about to link her arm around Miroku's, somebody cleared his throat loudly. She and Miroku turned around simultaneously to see Mr. Miyabe standing a few feet behind them. He was smiling amicably but his eyes looked stern as he leveled them on Miroku.

"Hi, Mr. Miyabe!" Miroku grinned. He had a good idea what that look meant. "I was thinking you were out on business trip because you were not here earlier to see your daughter off."

Mr. Miyabe gave him a wry smile. "I had an important call to entertain minutes before you arrived." He loosened his tie a bit. "Why don't you step into my office for a few minutes, Miroku-kun? You and I need to talk."

Sango shot her father a curious look. She was a little concerned at the look her father was aiming at Miroku. He never looked at Kuranosuke that way when he took her out. "Chichi-ue, what's going on?"

"It's fine, Sango-chan," Miroku assured her as he maintained his calm and cool expression.

"Don't give me that look, Sango," Mr. Miyabe said lightly. He chuckled. "I'm not going to skin him alive. I'm just going to remind Miroku-kun about something." With that, he headed towards his office down the hall with Miroku following behind, his appearance neutral.

Mr. Miyabe pushed a few folders aside on his dark wooden desk and leaned on the furniture's edge. He watched as Miroku closed the door of his study quietly behind him.

"Sango told me the reason behind this date, Miroku-kun," the president of Miyabe Shipping Corporation voiced out. He gave Miroku a piercing look. "You do remember what I told you more than a year ago, don't you?"

Miroku nodded mutely. He remembered that all too well.

Mr. Miyabe sighed tiredly. "It's good that you do; I don't like repeating myself." He breathed deeply. "I only want what's best for my daughter." He shot Miroku a sharp glare, a mixture of authority and warning.

For the first time that evening, Miroku's cool façade was replaced with a look of seriousness. "I understand, sir," he answered politely.

Mr. Miyabe nodded. "I have your word, Miroku-kun." He then clapped his hand, his face brightening considerably as they had that issue cleared up. He ushered Miroku out of his study. "I trust you, Miroku-kun. Take care of my daughter, okay?"

Miroku nodded, forcing a smile. After bidding the Miyabe household goodbye, Miroku linked his arm around Sango's and gallantly led her to his car.

"What did he tell you?" Sango asked, her brown eyes narrowed suspiciously.

Miroku looked like the very picture of innocence. "He who?"

"My father," Sango replied impatiently. They had just reached his parked black Jaguar.

Miroku shrugged nonchalantly as he opened the passenger door for her. "Oh, he just told me to take care of you and he hoped our double date with Kagome-san would be enjoyable and memorable." He was a good liar if he wanted to. He had had lots of practice with his ex-girlfriends.

Sango stared on doubtfully.

"Anything wrong, Sango-chan?" Miroku blinked. "We're going to be late if we just stand here."

Sango studied his face for a moment. For the first time, Miroku worried she would see beyond his mask and little lie. His face, however, remained the perfect picture of cheerfulness.

After a few seconds, Sango sighed and gave up. "I can tell that you're lying," she finally said. "Look, if my father threatened to mutilate you for taking me out tonight, don't mind him. He doesn't really mean that."

"_If it was only that simple, Sango,"_ he thought bitterly. _"If only it was."_

_

* * *

_

Inuyasha tapped his foot impatiently as he waited at the mansion lobby, just below the grand staircase. He was wearing a white dress shirt with light blue pinstripes and black slacks. His black coat was slung over his shoulder and hooked in place by his index and middle fingers. He glanced at his watch and internally noted that his date had already spent three hours preparing.

"Did you wait too long?"

Inuyasha's head shot up and he watched as his date gracefully descended down the grand staircase, poised and elegant in a black dress and complimentary black shawl.

"About time!" Inuyasha commented grouchily. "A glacier moves faster than you can get dressed!"

Jakotsu pouted and melodramatically swept a hand through his wavy blond wig. "Well, excuse me," he retorted haughtily. "It's not easy to dress and look like a convincing girl, you know." Jakotsu placed his hands on his waist and raised a perfectly shaped brow. "Or maybe you'd like it if I don't go through with this?" he threatened.

Inuyasha suddenly looked alarmed. "No," he replied glumly. "Look, sorry for yelling like that. You know I hate waiting too long."

Jakotsu patted him on the shoulder and chortled. "I was joking, _Inu-chan_."

"Stop calling me that, damn it!"

Jakotsu ignored him and gracefully twirled around. "So how do I look?"

Inuyasha focused his gaze on him and rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "Not bad," he admitted quietly. "You can easily pass for a girl not to mention you look even more feminine than Kagome."

Jakotsu narrowed his eyes slyly. He always prided himself with noticing even the tiniest details. "When did you start calling Kagome-chan by her first name?"

Inuyasha's face turned ten shades redder and he quickly cleared his throat to change the topic. "We better get going," he said, fumbling a little bit as he quickly put his coat on. "We've wasted enough time just for your preparation and make up." Inuyasha's eyes narrowed with irritation when he noticed the grin on Jakotsu's face. "Why are you looking at me like that?" he asked defensively.

"Oh, nothing," Jakotsu replied lightly in a singsong, obviously showing that the reason for his lopsided smile was definitely something rather than nothing.

Inuyasha's cheeks burned a deeper shade of scarlet as he turned heels and marched away, not even giving Jakotsu a backward glance.

Jakotsu jogged after him as fast as his high heels could carry him. He gave Toutousai, who looked puzzled by his appearance, a quick smile before exiting the mansion and hastily trooping down the front steps.

"Really, Inuyasha," Jakotsu scolded lightly as he reached his side. Inuyasha was already leaning on the hood of his car. "You should act more gentlemanly to your date."

Inuyasha's eyes slanted as he shot Jakotsu an annoyed look. But remembering Jakotsu's little threat earlier, he sighed and conceded. "After you, Jakotsu," he said monotonously.

Jakotsu grinned and pinched him on the cheek. At the background, Inuyasha rubbed his painful cheek while his left eye twitched from suppressed anger. "That's much better, Inu-chan," Jakotsu praised, ignoring Inuyasha's glower. "And while on this date you will call me…" he pondered for a second, "_Sakura_."

"Sakura?" Inuyasha echoed incredulously.

Jakotsu nodded. "Yep, Sakura," he answered. "You can't call me Jakotsu while in the restaurant while I'm dressed as a girl. You don't want anyone getting suspicious, now do you?" He cocked his head slightly. "And besides, I do deserve to decide at some things in this scheme of yours. If you weren't doing this for _love_, I wouldn't even go through this much length to help you."

"I'm not doing this for love!" Inuyasha denied hotly. He looked like he just downed a bottle of Tabasco sauce with how red his face was.

Jakotsu looked at him skeptically. "Oh really? So why are we going to the restaurant where Kagome-chan and her date are and pretending to be a couple?"

"Well, we're…" Inuyasha sputtered. Jakotsu waited patiently. "I-I'm just going over there to check up on her. She can't take care of herself, _honestly_! And also I don't trust that Hojo guy one bit."

"You do know she and Hojo are on a double date with Sango-san and Miroku," Jakotsu told him cheekily. It was amusing to see Inuyasha flustered since he barely got embarrassed because of a girl. "Kagome-chan is perfectly safe. She's known Hojo far longer than you. And he's the perfect gentleman, Inuyasha. I doubt he'll do anything _disagreeable_ to her."

Inuyasha pouted stubbornly. "I still don't trust him."

An amused smile played on Jakotsu's lips as he slipped into the passenger seat of Inuyasha's MacLaren.

Ah, the Fairy of Love's job is never finished.

* * *

Kagome tucked a lock of hair behind her ear as her eyes scanned the interior of the restaurant. Right in front of her, Miroku was trying to engage Sango in a little small talk. Sango, on the other hand, was eyeing her date guardedly. Maybe it had something to do with Miroku's right hand being suspiciously close to touching her thigh. 

They were at the Hanabi, a well-known restaurant near the outskirts of Tokyo. As far as Kagome knew, it was the establishment where people from the upper crust of Tokyo mingled and dined.

Kagome squirmed uncomfortably on her seat. Beside her, Hojo was soflty humming to himself as he listened to the beautiful music created in harmony by a grand piano and violin. Kagome sighed internally. She felt so out of place in that fancy restaurant with so many rich people.

Kagome's thoughts were interrupted when the waiter that escorted them to their table appeared once again and handed them their respective menus. Kagome's brows rose as her eyes scanned the list of dishes. The contents of the menu sounded completely foreign. They were mostly French and Italian dishes, as Kagome could tell from their names. But no matter how many times she read the names, none of the food in the menu made any sense at all. It made Kagome wish that the Hanabi had good old ramen in their list of dishes.

"Higurashi-san?"

Kagome blinked and realized Hojo was actually calling her. "Um, what were you saying again, Hojo-kun?" Kagome asked a little sheepishly. Behind her, the waiter snorted haughtily. Kagome just barely suppressed the urge to step on his foot with the heel of her shoe.

"What would you like to eat, Higurashi-san?" Hojo repeated patiently, giving her a kind smile.

Kagome stole a glance at Miroku and Sango and quickly realized he was the only person who was yet to order. Thinking quickly, Kagome closed her eyes and ran a finger down the list. Hopefully, the dish she picked would not taste too bad.

"I pick this one." Kagome hesitantly cracked an eye open and tried to read the French writing. "Cuisses de grenouilles?" she said hesitantly, not even sure if her pronunciation was right.

"Excellent choice, mademoiselle," the waiter praised. "It is one of the specialties of the Hanabi." Before Kagome could ask what she had just ordered, he quickly whisked away their menu books and briskly walked towards the kitchens.

Miroku leaned over and eyed Kagome curiously. "Did you just know what you ordered, Kagome-san?"

Kagome shook her head. "I honestly have no idea. What did I just order?"

Sango and Hojo looked as clueless as she was. Miroku just maintained his smile. He did not have the heart to tell Kagome what she just ordered for dinner.

* * *

Inuyasha's car screeched to a halt at the parking area of the Hanabi. 

"We're here," he announced, turning the engine off. As his eyes grew accustomed to the dark, he quickly spotted Miroku's Jaguar parked nearby.

Unbuckling his seatbelt, Inuyasha immediately jumped out, anxious to get inside the restaurant. He had not gotten five feet from his car when he heard Jakotsu clear his throat. Groaning loudly, Inuyasha whirled around as Jakotsu completely lowered the window of the passenger seat.

"What are you still doing in the car?" Inuyasha hissed impatiently.

"Aren't you forgetting something?" Jakotsu asked sweetly, unperturbed by the fact that Inuyasha looked like a volcano just raring to explode.

Inuyasha gritted his teeth. "What?" he ground out, trying to keep his temper in check. _"Breathe in, breathe out," _he chanted in his head. For the life of him, he did not know what Jakotsu was waiting for.

Jakotsu tucked a lock of blond hair behind his ear. "I'm your date, remember?" he reminded calmly. "You should be a gentleman and help me out."

Inuyasha slapped his forehead and muttered a swearword under his breath as he stomped back. Opening the passenger door, Inuyasha held out his hand. "Let me help you out, _dearest_ and ever _helpless_ Jakotsu," he said with a slight growl.

Jakotsu took a fan out from is purse and started fanning himself, completely ignoring Inuyasha's outstretched hand.

"Well?" Inuyasha prodded impatiently, trying to think of happy thoughts to keep him from maiming his date. It was just so tempting to yank Jakotsu's false eyelashes off.

"It's Sakura, not Jakotsu," he corrected. "Remember our little talk earlier?"

Jakotsu watched from the corner of his eye as Inuyasha gave an exasperated sigh and muttered another incoherent curse. It was not like he loved torturing Inuyasha. In fact, it was far from it. Jakotsu would just love to see him and Kagome be a real couple but if Inuyasha wanted his help on this little scheme of his, Inuyasha was going to have to do a few things for him in return.

"Fine," Inuyasha muttered. He took a deep breath and extended his hand again. "Let me help you out, _Sakura_," he said in an overly syrupy voice, his mouth contorted into a smile. Jakotsu has got to hand it to him. Inuyasha was a very convincing actor, if only his amethyst eyes did not give away the fact that he was ready to skewer Jakotsu with an extremely sharp object.

Jakotsu's face lit up and he gratefully took his hand. "Why that's very gentlemanly of you, Inuyasha."

Inuyasha rolled his eyes as he then headed for the restaurant entrance.

"Can I call you Inu-chan while we're on a date?" Jakotsu asked hopefully.

"_No_."

Jakotsu pouted. "Aw, but that name is just so cute and appropriate for you!"

Inuaysha's eyes slanted. "Shut up, Sakura." He then forced a smile on his face as they reached the entrance desk, where the maitre d' immediately rushed over to usher them in.

"How wonderful to see you again, Master Takahashi," the elderly maitre d' greeted as he bowed low. As he lifted his head up, his gaze fell on Jakotsu, who waved at him coyly with his fan.

Inuyasha sweat-dropped and suppressed the urge to gag. "Um, Antonio?" he cleared his throat. The maitre d' quickly snapped his attention back at him.

"Oh, ah, yes," Antonio bowed apologetically. "Let me take you to your table. Walk this way please."

Inuyasha pulled Jakotsu closer. "What do you think you're doing?" he whispered in irritation as they followed Antonio through the restaurant to their reserved dinner table.

Jakotsu tapped him playfully with his fan. "I'm role-playing as Sakura. Aren't I just convincing or what?" He gave a flirtatious laugh that reminded Inuyasha of Megumi Takani, his English teacher…minus the fox ears.

Upon reaching their table, Antonio pulled a chair for Jakotsu. "Thank you very much," Jakotsu cooed and gracefully sat down.

Antonio blushed. "I'll get your menus," he said politely, his gaze straying at Jakotsu one last time. "Please excuse me for a moment."

As soon as the maitre d' left, Inuyasha looked at Jakotsu with half-lidded eyes. "That was just utterly disturbing," he told him flatly. "Why did you do that?"

"Do what?" Jakotsu looked at him innocently.

Inuyasha looked a little sick. "You were flirting with an _old man_."

"I was not."

Inuyasha snorted. "You were batting your eyelashes coyly at him like some deranged dingbat! Ew!" He stuck his tongue out in disgust. That was one of the most disturbing things he ever saw and, even worse, the awful images seemed to have imprinted themselves permanently in his head. "I swear you're going to give me nightmares."

Jakotsu waved a hand dismissively. "I'm acting as Sakura," he explained. "And as Sakura, I'm supposed to be a drop dead gorgeous, flirtatious blond." He gave another flirty "ho-ho-ho" laugh that gave Inuyasha goose bumps and made him contemplate whether Jakotsu and Takani-sensei were somehow related.

Inuyasha could only sweat-drop some more as he saw Antonio heading back to their table with the menus. Unfortunately, Jakotsu saw the maitre d' approach himself and waved at him with his fan. Since sinking into the floor was not an option to escape witnessing another one of Jakotsu's flirtings, Inuyasha heaved a tired sigh.

This was _definitely_ going to be a long night.

* * *

Kagome looked up from her meal and smiled secretly upon seeing Miroku and Sango talking amicably with each other. 

Just fifteen minutes ago, just before the waiter had brought them their orders, Kagome noticed how tense Sango was sitting beside Miroku. But after their food arrived, Miroku began a talk about the nutritional value and benefits of escargot. That made Sango roll her eyes and she muttered a comment about his "poor girlfriends." At the other side of the table, Hojo and Kagome looked absolutely clueless at what Sango meant. Kagome half wondered if this was some sort of inside joke between the two.

After that, Kagome noticed Sango had relaxed considerably and she was now in an argument with Miroku whether chocolate syrup or catsup was the better topping on vanilla ice cream.

"Honestly, Kanzaki," Sango said as she sipped some white wine. "Vanilla ice cream and catsup are not compatible. Who in the world would want to eat a combination like that?"

Miroku grinned. "You'd be surprised, Sango-chan."

"You have weird tastes, Kanzaki," Sango commented, looking slightly disgusted as she tried to imagine what that would taste like.

"That's why girls like me, Sango-chan," Miroku answered with a mischievous grin.

Sango chose not to comment. She rolled her eyes and snorted.

Kagome leaned back on her chair. It was fun to watch them talking. Her best friend and Miroku had great chemistry…now if only Sango would stop being in denial, then they would make a great couple.

"They're cute, aren't they, Hojo-kun?" Kagome whispered, leaning closer to her date to avoid Sango and Miroku from overhearing.

Hojo furrowed his brows. "But isn't Kanzaki-san a playboy?"

Kagome looked back at the two people sitting in front of her. "He is," Kagome agreed as she studied Miroku. "But there is something different in the way he looks at Sango. It's not the same look he gives to other girls. It's the smile and gentle look only reserved for a person special to you." Kagome gave a small smile. "It reminds me of how Inuyasha looks at Kikyo."

Hojo stared at her curiously. "What do you mean?" he inquired. "Isn't Takahashi-kun _your_ boyfriend? Why would he look at another girl like that? Unless…" Hojo narrowed his eyes. "He's not cheating on you, is he?"

Kagome instantly realized her slip-up and mentally kicked herself. "No, it's not like that, Hojo-kun," she quickly clarified, desperately thinking of an excuse. "What I meant by that is—is it was…" Kagome snapped her fingers as she wracked her brain. "I-it _was_ the way Inuyasha looked at Kikyo when they were still a couple. Before, you know, they broke up and he became my boyfriend." Kagome explained this so fast it took Hojo a few seconds to actually understand.

"Okay," Hojo said slowly. Kagome secretly sighed with relief. Hojo suddenly put down his fork. "I'm sorry for being nosy, Higurashi-san but something is bothering me." Kagome gulped. "Why did you say it reminds you of the way Takahashi-san looks at Sanada-san? Doesn't he look at you the same way?"

Kagome opened and closed her mouth. She did not know what to say. Hojo leaned closer, his face a filled with concern. "Is he just using you as a substitute for his previous girlfriend? You and Sanada-san almost look alike and it was strange how quickly he made you his girlfriend a couple of days after they broke up." He held one of her hands. "Don't be afraid to tell me the truth, Higurashi-san."

"I appreciate your concern, Hojo-kun," Kagome answered calmly as she gently pulled her hand away from his. She did not know why but she was a little angry at Hojo for thinking Inuyasha was using her just as a substitute for somebody else. "Inuyasha is a good person deep down. He isn't cheating on me." Kagome hid a smirk. How could Inuyasha cheat on her when they weren't even a real couple to begin with? "It may be true that he made his girfriend soon after their break-up, but it doesn't mean he's using me as a substitute for Kikyo."

Hojo did not look convinced, though. "When did you meet him, Higurashi-san?" he asked politely, quietly.

At another circumstance, Kagome would have been flattered by Hojo's show of concern for her, but right now, with Operation MKJ in danger of being known, Kagome wished he would just leave the topic be. Now how would she answer that?

"_You see, Hojo-kun,"_ she practiced in her head, _"me and Inuyasha have been classmates for more than a year already but he only knew me when I accidentally incurred is wrath on the rooftop three weeks ago. A pleasant first meeting, wouldn't you agree?"_

Okay, that was a stupid response. Kagome decided she was going to use one of the scenes she saw on one of the soaps her grandpa watched, where a girl accidentally trips down the stairs and a dashing young man catches her on time…It gave new meaning to the term "falling in love."

"She and Inuyasha met at the school's rooftop and it was love at first sight," Miroku answered before Kagome could open her mouth. At the background, Sango and Kagome sweat-dropped. It was more like "hate at first sight" actually. Miroku took a short sip of his wine. "Inuyasha may have some lingering feelings for his ex, but that is only natural," he explained. "Kagome-san is special to him. I know my best friend won't do anything to hurt her. And that's the truth." He gave Kagome a conspiratorial wink.

Kagome mentally thanked him for rescuing her from that difficult interrogation.

Hojo still did not look too convinced but he decided not to ask any more questions.

Miroku took this opportunity to talk to Kagome. "Is that good?" he asked casually, eyeing Kagome's currently half eaten food.

Kagome nodded as she chewed on it.

Miroku looked pleased. "It's good you like it," he continued. "I thought I was the only person on this table with a queer taste."

Kagome suddenly stopped midway from taking another bite. "What do you mean?" she queried, her blue eyes looking at him suspiciously.

"Those are frog legs, Kagome-san."

Kagome's brows rose so high it disappeared behind her bangs. "Frogs?" she said with disbelief as she gestured wildly at her plate. "Those slimy amphibians that croak in ponds? Those frogs?"

"Uhuh."

Kagome put a hand on her mouth. She suddenly felt sick. All this time she had been thinking she was eating chicken…_tiny_ chickens by the size of the legs.

"Are you feeling okay, Higurashi-san?" Hojo asked in alarm as Kagome turned into an unhealthy shade of green. He put a hand on her shoulder. "You don't look too well."

Kagome immediately got on her feet. "Please excuse me." Without waiting for a reply, she dashed into the ladies' bathroom faster than you can say "oden."

Sango bopped Miroku on the head. "Nice move, Kanzaki. That was just the _perfect_ time to tell her that," she said sarcastically. "You could have told her that as soon as she ordered it, but no, you just had to wait until she had eaten half of it."

Miroku pouted innocently. "How was I supposed to know she didn't like frogs?"

* * *

Inuyasha was muttering some incoherent profanities as he spied on the two couples sitting a few tables away. He was holding a menu book in front of his face that he had punched eyeholes in. Some of the diners from the nearer tables were already giving him disapproving looks. 

Jakotsu sighed wearily. "Can you get any more obvious?"

Inuyasha scowled at him. "I am not being obvious!"

"Oh really?" Jakotsu challenged as he scratched his cheek in exasperation. "Then why did you just bore holes on the menu book?" Inuyasha guiltily hid the menu behind his back. Jakotsu pointed a fork at a potted plant beside Inuyasha. "And why did you just pull that nearby ornamental plant? If that's not being obvious, I don't know what is."

Inuyasha sighed and returned the potted plant back to its original place. He then yanked the ruined menu book from his back and tossed it on the table. "Fine!" he conceded. He stole another glance at Kagome's table before venting his anger on his steak by slicing it roughly.

Jakotsu looked at Kagome's table and realized why Inuyasha was so upset. Hojo and Kagome were deep in conversation, their faces a little too close for comfort. It did not help that Hojo was holding Kagome's hand.

Jakotsu sighed. "Inuyasha, this is getting silly," he told him. "You don't have any right to be jealous of Hojo. Kagome isn't really your girlfriend so she can go out with whoever she wants to."

Inuyasha chomped on a piece of his steak as his vision strayed once again to Kagome. She suddenly looked a sick. Inuyasha's eye twitched when Hojo placed a hand on her shoulder. His grip on his steak knife tightened and he had this urge to throw the utensil at a certain herb-obsessed boy.

As he watched Kagome dash into the restrooms, Inuyasha was just about ready to march into her table and confront Hojo. If that geeky boy had placed herbs in her food to make her sick, he was going to stuff Hojo's mouth with wasabe-filled sushis.

But Jakotsu was right. She really wasn't his. She was there to help him get Kikyo back. Why was he so jealous of Hojo? Wait…why was he _even__jealous_ to begin with? He and Kagome were mortal enemies until very recently, but why didn't he like it when other boys showed keen interest in her?

Could it be that he liked her more than he was willing to admit?

Inuyasha frowned. That can't be the case. He is _in love_ with Kikyo. There was _no way_ he was attracted to Kagome. Sure, Kagome was nice, smart and pretty in her own right, but there was something that set Kikyo apart from her. But then again, Kikyo never had those warm eyes and soft smile that Kagome had…

"_Denial is not a good thing, Inuyasha."_ The voice he had heard during the Dating Game came back to haunt him.

Inuyasha suddenly heard Jakotsu giggle. "Miroku and Sango look good together, don't they?" he murmured.

Inuyasha turned his head towards the dance floor and realized some couples in the restaurant had already begun waltzing, including his best friend and the vice captain of the Taekwondo Club.

"Yep," Inuyasha nodded, pushing his thoughts aside. "I just hope his impulse as a player doesn't kick in this time. She's a good for him."

Jakotsu raised a brow. "Why do you say that?"

"Because she's Kagome's best friend." Inuyasha just missed the amused smirk on Jakotsu's lips that lasted for a brief moment.

And speaking of Kagome…Inuyasha threw another look at her table. To his relief, Kagome was back, looking much better than she was five minutes ago. Inuyasha's relief was short lived, however, as Hojo asked Kagome for a dance.

That was it. He was not going to sit here and let Hojo waltz his way to Kagome's heart. There was no way he was going to let Kagome fall for a guy like him. She deserved better.

Jakotsu eyed him warily. "What are you planning to do, Inuyasha?" He recognized the telltale symptoms that Inuyasha was ready to put some Machiavellian scheme into action.

Inuyasha just smiled deviously.

* * *

"I'm glad you're feeling much better already, Higurashi-san," Hojo said cheerfully. 

Kagome forced a smile. After what seemed like an eternity throwing up her internal organs in the restroom, she was still a little dizzy…not to mention hungry. Her stomach was virtually empty after getting rid of the frog legs. A bowl of ramen would be great right about now.

"I'm sorry I'm not a very good dancer," Hojo apologized when he accidentally stepped on Kagome's foot.

Kagome smiled in understanding. "That's okay, Hojo-kun," she consoled him. "I'm not much of a dancer myself."

Hojo blushed. "You know, Higurashi-san," he began, looking sheepish. Kagome stared at him expectantly as they swayed to the slow piano music. "W-well, you see, I've been waiting a long time to be able to dance with you like this."

"I'm flattered, Hojo-kun," Kagome replied amicably. "Especially since I have two left feet."

Hojo blushed even more and they quietly continued dancing. Just soon after he twirled her around, somebody cleared her throat beside them.

"Can I cut in?" A blond asked, batting her eyelashes coyly at Hojo's direction. Kagome thought it was strange why she was hiding the rest of her face behind a fan, but she decided to keep her musings to herself. It would be rude if she said it aloud.

Hojo looked hesitant. "Well…"

Kagome gave him a wink. "Go on, Hojo-kun," she whispered as she released herself from his hold. "It's not everyday that a beautiful girl asks you for a dance." Kagome lightly patted him on the arm. "Don't worry, Hojo-kun. One dance with her won't hurt. I'll just be at our table when you and her are through dancing, okay?"

Hojo sighed and reluctantly agreed. Kagome flashed the pretty blond a quick grin before walking towards their table, where she found a note from Sango telling her that she had gone off somewhere with Miroku. Kagome could not help speculating what romantic place Miroku might be taking her best friend. She leaned on her chair and contented filling her empty stomach with the remaining water on her glass.

Unbeknownst to her, back on the dance floor…

"Can I cut in?"

Hojo gulped and paled when he realized Inuyasha was smirking at him. "Takahashi-san!" He looked at the blond girl he was dancing with. She looked extremely familiar but he could not place where he saw her. "Is she your date? I-I'm sorry if I—"

"I came here for _you_, not _her_," Inuyasha clarified as he put an arm on Hojo's shoulder. "Let's go somewhere. You and I need to talk."

Hojo could only comply.

* * *

Sango twiddled her fingers as she stared at Miroku's profile. "Where are you taking me anyway, Kanzaki?" she asked, trying to hide the nervousness from her voice. Why did she even agree to come with him? She did not even know where he was taking her, for Pete's sake. 

"It's a surprise." Miroku chuckled slightly as he kept his eye on the road. "And don't worry, Sango-chan," he assured her. "I'm not planning to do anything like what you're thinking." He snorted in amusement. "You can very easily defend yourself if I ever tried anything."

Seeing his logic, Sango relaxed and stared out the car window. It had just been a few minutes since they left Hanabi. The road was practically empty at the outskirts of the city. Miroku got off the road and into what seemed like a viewpoint.

Turning the engine off, Miroku turned to Sango. "Close your eyes."

Sango frowned, as if she had heard him incorrectly. "What?"

"Close your eyes for a second, Sango-chan," Miroku told her gently. Sango gave him a questioning look. "Just trust me on this one, okay? What have you got to lose?"

Sango rolled her eyes and sighed. "Nothing funny, Kanzaki," she said as she cast Miroku one last suspicious look. Sango then complied and closed her eyes.

Miroku immediately jumped off the driver's seat and opened her door. He helped her out and then gently covered her eyes with his hands in case she decided to peek. Walking behind Sango, he slowly led her to the railing of the viewpoint. When Sango's hand touched the railing, Miroku lowered his hands from her eyes.

"You can open your eyes now," he whispered in her ear.

Sango gasped. Right on cue, fireworks of different colors started to explode and shimmer in the clear dark sky.

She quickly whirled around to face Miroku. "How did—?"

Miroku smiled as he watched the light from the fireworks illuminate Sango's face in the darkness. "Well, one of my father's close friends owns Kaze no Kizu, the amusement park," he told her as he stole a glance at his watch. "I requested that they postpone the nightly fireworks display until a little later so you can see how beautiful the light show is from up here."

Sango's mouth hung open. She was too speechless from shock to say anything.

Even with just the faint lights of the fireworks, Miroku could see the crimson blush on her cheeks. Pretending not to have noticed how flustered she was, Miroku turned his attention to the fireworks. Companionable silence was better right now.

"Hey."

Miroku looked at Sango. She was smiling at him softly. "Thank you," she said gratefully. Much to Miroku's surprise, she reached out for his left hand and gave it a gentle squeeze. "Nobody's gone through this much trouble for me. Thanks, Kanzaki."

This time it was Miroku's turn to blush. He squeezed her hand in return. "No problem, Sango." Blue and yellow lights from the fireworks lit Sango's face, showing her smile. She then gently pried her hands away and focused her attention on the fireworks.

Miroku watched her profile from the corner of his eye. Of all the girls he met, she was the only one who could make him blush.

_Flashback._

Miroku stifled a groan as he listened to his girlfriend, Michiru Tachibana, coo about the latest collection of some well known fashion designer that he did not even bother to remember.

They were at the Takahashi mansion, attending Izayoi's birthday party. The mansion's vast ballroom was filled with people from Tokyo's elite.

Miroku had thought that by bringing his girlfriend here he would have someone decent to talk to, rather than spend the time exchanging false compliments and smiles with businessmen, politicians or snobby rich kids who boast about their parents' wealth. Inuyasha was busy preparing his surprise for his mother while Jakotsu could not come because of a sudden flu.

Miroku just now realized all Michiru wanted to talk about was clothes, how good she looked in her gown or how awful other people in that party dressed. As far as Miroku was concerned, she was even worse that those fashion critics in entertainment news shows.

His musings were interrupted when she excused herself, saying she had to go to the powder room. Miroku was all too glad to send her off. Spotting the waiter nearby serving a tray of drinks, he quickly walked towards the waiter and reached for the single glass of champagne that remained. Much to his surprise, another hand reached for it.

"I'm sorry," the girl apologized as she hastily retracted her hand. "The drink's yours." She had beautiful brown eyes and long dark hair that reached the middle of her back. In her pink gown and diamond solitaire necklace, she was absolutely radiant.

Miroku had always prided himself with being smooth with the ladies, but he was currently having trouble finding his voice. "N-no, you take it," he smiled. Turning to the waiter he ordered another glass of champagne.

As the waiter disappeared in the crowd to get his drink, the girl gave him a small smile. "Thanks." She turned to leave. "I guess I'll just see you around, ne?" Before Miroku could ask for her name, she had already slipped into the crowd.

After collecting his drink, Miroku climbed up the ballroom's grand staircase and onto the large balcony. Maybe he could spot the girl from there. He was right. She was talking fondly with a boy who looked like her date.

"She's beautiful, isn't she?"

Miroku glanced over his shoulder to see his father's best friend, the owner of Miyabe Shipping Corporation, smiling at him. "Sango got her looks from her mother," Mr. Miyabe continued.

Miroku immediately took note of her name. "Yes, she is very beautiful," he agreed.

Mr. Miyabe slowly swirled his wine. "Miroku-kun," he said slowly. "If you have plans to make my daughter one of your girlfriends, I strongly suggest that you do not pursue the idea. I know you too well." Mr. Miyabe looked at him calmly. "More likely than not, you will just play with her heart, like you did to all your other girlfriends. And if that is just going to be the case, being just her friend is better than being her boyfriend. Do you get my point, Miroku-kun?"

Miroku nodded, taken aback by Mr. Miyabe's sudden frankness. He had known Sango's father ever since he was in early junior high because Mr. Miyabe and his father often had meetings in the Kanzaki library. During all that time, Mr. Miyabe was always warm and friendly towards him. Miroku guessed that when it came to his daughter, Mr. Miyabe was overly protective. Or maybe he was just that protective now because a notorious playboy like him took sudden interest in his lovely daughter?

Miroku did not even notice Mr. Miyabe excuse himself to talk to Inuyasha's father. He was too focused on Sango. She looked like she was enjoying herself with her date. Miroku longed that she would flash him that smile that only her date had the pleasure of seeing.

Miroku groaned inwardly as he felt Michiru latch onto his arm. Casting a final gaze at Sango, Miroku smiled wistfully. _"I hope I'll see you around too, Sango…"_

_End of Flashback._

"Beautiful," Miroku murmured.

Sango looked at him, smiling in agreement. "Yes, the view certainly is beautiful here, Kanzaki."

Miroku tilted his head at Sango's direction. "I wasn't talking about the fireworks."

Realization dawned on Sango's face and she suddenly took a step backward. "Maybe we should get going now," she suggested quietly as the final remnants of the fireworks display glimmered in the sky.

"Wait." Miroku gently but firmly holding her arm before she could go back to the car.

"What are you doing, Kanzaki?" Sango asked, her voice sounding nervous as Miroku stepped closer, intruding on her personal space.

"Something that I should have done a very long time ago," Miroku answered, pushing away the warning voice of Mr. Miyabe echoing in his mind. He would worry about the consequences of his actions later.

Miroku leaned in to give Sango a kiss on the lips.

* * *

Kagome sighed and stared at her almost empty glass of water. That was the second glass of water she asked from a waiter. Since their dishes had been taken away while she was in the restroom, Kagome decided that water was a good way to relieve her rumbling stomach…until she can get home to raid the fridge. So far though, the water was not helping with her hunger. 

Staring at the couples dancing slowly a few meters away, she frowned when she could not see Hojo. Where could he have gone?

"Care for a dance, miss?"

Kagome trained her eyes up to whoever was inviting her to turn him down. She suddenly chocked on her drink when she saw who it was. She immediately jumped to her feet.

"What are you doing here?" she asked, her blue eyes wide with surprise.

Inuyasha shrugged. "The Hanabi serves great European dishes," he said casually as he shoved his hands on his pockets. "And I wanted to eat out tonight so I came here."

Kagome wrinkled her nose, not agreeing with the Hanabi serving great dishes part. Those frog legs were still fresh in her mind…

"So," Inuyasha prodded as he held out a hand, "dance with me?"

Kagome studied his face for a brief second. Something was not right; she could feel it. Maybe she was just being paranoid because she was hungry. Shrugging it off, she smiled and took his hand.

"I have to warn you, Inuyasha," she quipped as he led her to the dance floor. "I have two left feet." She put one hand on his shoulder as he held her other hand. "Prepare to have sore feet later."

Inuyasha smiled at her gently. "I think you belittle yourself too much." He twirled her around, making her giggle. "You're a pretty good dancer as far as I can see."

Kagome blushed at the compliment and chose to stare at Inuyasha's chest than at his face, lest he see how much she was blushing. He was far batter than Hojo at dancing. His movements were fluid and confident, and he was the one leading her in the dance, unlike in Hojo's case where she felt she was the one leading him.

"You took up dancing lessons, didn't you?" Kagome looked up and eyed him slyly. "That, or you're really gay." She laughed.

Inuyasha looked away. "Maybe," he replied vaguely.

Kagome stopped dancing as her eyes looked at him in shock. "You mean you're actually—"

"Of course not, silly!" Inuyasha rolled his eyes as he stared down at Kagome with a playful grin. "Can't a guy be a good dancer and be not gay? Really, Kagome." He chuckled as he held her closer. "When I was little, my mother taught me. She said it was necessary since when I would be older, I'd have to dance with a lot of girls. Back then, I didn't like the idea. I was just a little boy and I hated girls." His eyes amethyst eyes twinkled. "But I guess age has a way of changing one's perspective."

"How many girls have you danced with?" Kagome asked, mildly curious.

Inuyasha looked pensive for a moment. "I dunno. A lot."

"Being the son of a multi-billionaire certainly has its perks," Kagome said, nodding her head. "You get to dance with the prettiest, sexiest, richest girls around. You can have any girl you want." Inuyasha looked at her with amusement. Kagome pretended not to have noticed the entertained smirk on his lips as she snorted lightly. "It's weird you're not like Miroku when it comes to girls, though."

Inuyasha raised his brows. "Do you want me to be like him?"

Kagome shook her head. "No, of course not!" she answered vehemently. Inuyasha chuckled. She looked to her side. "But that is the impression I have about boys coming from rich families."

Inuyasha sighed. "Well, not every rich boy is a player," he explained. "And yes, I can probably have any girl I want. But not the girl I _love_."

"Oh." Kagome looked down guiltily. "I'm sorry." She chided herself for accidentally bringing up Kikyo. She knew Inuyasha was sensitive to that topic. Her eyes wandered to the watch on his wrist and was instantly reminded of her curfew. "Um, what time is it?"

Inuyasha looked at his watch. "Fifteen minutes before eleven. Why?"

Kagome looked worried. "I have to go home. I promised Mama I'd be home before eleven." She briskly headed for her table and grabbed her purse. "Where is Hojo-kun?" She wondered aloud as she scanned the dance floor.

"I think I just saw him leave a little while ago," Inuyasha informed her nonchalantly.

Kagome's head snapped to him. "What?" she asked in disbelief. "But that is just not like him. He wouldn't, under any condition, leave me behind. Are you sure you saw him leave?"

"I'm sure, Kagome," Inuyasha confirmed. "Why don't I just take you home?"

Kagome's eyes narrowed suspiciously. She knew Hojo too well. He would not leave her in the restaurant. Inuyasha appeared soon after she lost sight of Hojo and told her he saw Hojo leave. The only explanation was…

"You didn't do anything to Hojo-kun, did you, Inuyasha?" Kagome inquired in a low voice. Her suspicion rose when Inuyasha suddenly blinked and looked away guiltily.

"I didn't do anything to him," Inuyasha retorted defensively.

Kagome put her hands on her hips. He was not a very good liar when caught off guard. "Tell me the truth, Inuyasha," she demanded. "What happened to Hojo-kun?"

Inuyasha continued to avoid making eye contact with Kagome. "Maybe I _did_ talk to him earlier," he muttered. "And maybe I _did_ tell him to scram or else." He turned to her. "What does it matter anyway?"

"It matters because Hojo-kun is my friend!" Kagome replied, her voice rising. "That was completely wrong of you to bully him like that! Why did you make him leave? He didn't do anything to you!"

The other people in the restaurant were starting to stare at them. Some were whispering how uncouth they were to be making a scene in a place like this. Kagome and Inuyasha did not seem to care, or bother listening to their backbites. Jakotsu sighed tiredly in the background as he watched them argue.

"He was hitting on you, Kagome!" Inuyasha argued. "I couldn't just sit there and watch!"

"So you forcibly make him leave just because you don't like what he's doing?" she snapped angrily. "You don't have the right to do that! You're not my _boyfriend_!"

Inuyasha flinched. That felt like a slap in the face. He watched as Kagome turned to leave. "And where are you going?" he asked.

"I'm going home!" Kagome started to march towards the exit. When Inuyasha made a move to follow her, Kagome whirled around. "Don't even try to follow me! I don't want to talk to you right now!" And with that, she left.

Inuyasha muttered something under his breath before jogging after her.

Jakotsu ran a hand through his blond wig as the crowd dispersed and got on with their business. Inuyasha blew this one big time. After declining the offer of a persistent old businessman, Jakotsu decided it was time to leave himself.

The commotion that took place did not go unheeded by a couple sitting a few tables away.

"That was interesting, wouldn't you agree, Miyu?" A man said quietly as he swirled his wine. Parts of his face were hidden in the shadows.

Miyu leaned on the table seductively. "Indeed…Naraku."

* * *

The wind was cold. 

Kagome hugged herself as she briskly walked on the sidewalk. There were not very many people on the streets now, and the few taxis that passed by were full. Kagome blew at her bangs. Just when you are in a hurry to find a taxi, there suddenly does not seem any available.

Kagome frowned. Just when Inuyasha was starting to be a likeable person, he just had to be a jerk again. First thing tomorrow morning, she was going to apologize to Hojo for her "boyfriend's" behavior.

"_Inuyasha, you jerk!"_ Kagome thought, stomping on the pavement while anxiously scanning the street for a taxi. _"I can't believe he did that. If I knew any better, I'd swear he was jealous. Oooh, he makes me so mad!"_

"Who makes you mad, love?"

Kagome realized she had said the last sentence aloud. She noticed three boys were standing just a few yards in front of her. They were dressed in loose pants and over-sized shirts in an attempt to copy American urban fashion. The one in the middle was smoking a cigarette. He appeared to be the leader of their little band.

"Why is a pretty little thing like you wandering the streets all alone?" the leader inquired, stepping near her and puffing a smoke ring right in her face.

Kagome's eyes narrowed and she exhaled to get rid of the smoke in her nose. She was in no mood to be humored by complete strangers right now. "That is none of your business," she snapped as she hailed a passing taxi. She sighed loudly when it did not stop.

"If you're looking for a boyfriend, I'm free," the leader announced coolly. He blocked her path when she tried to walk past them. "What's the rush?"

Kagome was starting to get anxious but she did not show it. "Please excuse me," she told him firmly. "I'm in a hurry to get home." She tried once more to walk past them but he and his goons blocked her again.

"I like you," the leader commented, spewing more cigarette smoke at Kagome's direction. "You're feisty." He reached out to touch her cheek.

Kagome instantly blocked his hand with her own. "Don't touch me!" She stepped back, looking apprehensive.

The leader cackled and tried to grab her wrists. Before he could reach her, a fist made contact with his face, sending him flying to the arms of his two goons. Kagome blinked, suddenly realizing Inuyasha was beside her.

"Are you okay?" he asked worriedly, his violet eyes scanning her for any injuries. Kagome nodded. Inuyasha breathed a sigh of relief before pushing her back, so he was in between her and the three thugs.

The leader slowly got to his feet and wiped a bit of blood that dripped down the side of his mouth. "You'll pay for that," he threatened. He dug into his oversized denim pants and extracted a knife. His sidekicks also pulled out knives of their own. "Not so brave now, are you?" he taunted with a sinister smile.

Kagome tightly gripped Inuyasha's arm. She was now very scared.

Inuyasha gave her a reassuring smile. "Don't worry, Kagome," he whispered as he removed his coat and draped it on her shoulders. "We're going to be okay. I'll protect you, I promise." Kagome met his eyes, stunned at what he just said. Turning around to face the three hoodlums, Inuyasha cracked his knuckles and smirked. "You guys ready to be black and blue?"

The leader's eyes twitched. "Don't underestimate us!"

He and his two friends charged at him. Everything seemed like a blur since hands moved so fast in all directions. Inuyasha deftly avoided their blades as he landed well-placed kicks and punches. He was literally beating the crap out of the three boys who each had the advantage by having a weapon.

"What's going on here?" somebody called out suddenly.

Inuyasha's head snapped to the direction where the voice came from, his concentration broken. Seeing an opening, the leader of the thugs to this opportunity to stab him in the stomach. Inuyasha's jaw clenched as the blade made contact with his flesh. Twisting the knife to make a fatal wound, the leader gave a sadistic grin before he quickly retracted the blade and fled the scene with his lackeys in tow.

Kagome quickly rushed to his side as soon as the three boys fled. "Are you okay?" she asked in alarm. Inuyasha gave her a quick smile before he dropped to his knees, his right hand clutching his abdomen.

"What just happened here?"

Kagome looked up to see the blond who Hojo had danced with. Without the fan to cover his face, Kagome immediately recognized that it was Jakotsu. Kagome gasped when she felt something warm trickle on her hand that she had over Inuyasha's right hand. He was hurt…and bleeding. Jakotsu clapped a hand on his mouth from shock as he saw Inuyasha's state.

"Can I borrow your lap, Kagome?" Inuyasha asked weakly. Kagome nodded. As he lay down on her lap, Jakotsu whipped out his cell phone and called for an ambulance while casting Inuyasha a worried glance every half second.

Kagome bit her lip to keep herself from crying. She had placed both her hands on the wound as she watched Inuyasha's face grow paler. Blood was slowly making a large stain on his shirt. He was slipping right before her eyes.

This was all her fault…If only she had not let her temper get the better of her. If only she had not stormed out of the restaurant with the intent of going home alone. If only…

"I'm so sorry, Inuyasha," she whispered, her voice choked with emotion. "This is all my fault. I am _so_ sorry." Despite trying, a tear still managed to escape from her eye and roll down her cheek.

"It's not your fault, silly." Inuyasha gave her a weak smile as he reached up and wiped away the tear from her eye. "Crying doesn't suit you." He paused as his eyelids grew heavier. "Don't cry," he said, his voice hoarse and weak. "I'm not worth your tears."

"But you are," Kagome replied silently. Inuyasha smiled weakly before slowly drifting out of consciousness. "Inuyasha!" she called as he closed his eyes. Her eyes prickled with more tears. "Hang on, Inuyasha! You can't die here now!" She sniffled. "Please live," she whispered. "I'll never forgive myself if you die. Please live…for Kikyo, for Izayoi-san, for Miroku…" she paused. "For _me_."

Jakotsu suddenly knelt down just opposite Kagome. "The ambulance is on it's way," he informed her. He looked on apprehensively as he saw how pale Inuyasha had gotten. He took a deep breath, and looked at Inuyasha apologetically. "I'm sorry for what I'm going to do next, Inu-chan," he told him. "But it's the only way."

Kagome watched silently, her heart beating painfully with anxiety and fear, not sure of what Jakotsu was saying.

Jakotsu quickly unbuttoned the first few buttons of Inuyasha's dress shirt, revealing the beaded necklace Kagome had seen only once before. He then swiftly slipped the necklace off.

Kagome's eyes widened. Inuyasha's raven hair was instantly replaced with silver locks and dog ears appeared on top of his head. It couldn't be… This was the boy she had accidentally kissed on last week's Dating Game.

"_Inuyasha is a hanyou, Higurashi-san."_ Kikyo's voice echoed in her head.

The pieces suddenly fit into place. Shippou had drawn a picture of Inuyasha's hanyou form in the sketchbook he had given her. That was why Kagome had a feeling that she knew the boy with silver hair from the Dating Game. It had been Inuyasha all along.

Kagome barely noticed that it had begun to drizzle. She was too focused on Inuyasha. As a few raindrops hit him lightly on the face, he slowly cracked his eyes open, revealing hauntingly beautiful golden eyes.

"_Inuyasha…"_

_

* * *

_

**A/N:** Okay…so I left it at a cliffhanger. _:gulps at the glares readers are giving:_

So you see people, this was why I wanted it to be a two-chapter update but after two weeks of struggling with chapter 18, it's still only halfway done. Don't worry though, Inuyasha won't be dying any time soon. If he did…well, this fic would be pointless, ne?

"Hanabi" literally means fire flowers in Japanese, or in a more common term, fireworks. Now you know why I changed the chapter name.

Oh, this is a useless info (and you guys probably know it already), but Hojo is actually a surname. I realized this a couple of months ago (when I was re-watching the 2nd Inuyasha movie). But for the sake of this fic, let's just assume Hojo is indeed Hojo's first name.

P.S. Oh, thanks for the people who corrected me on the Grandpa Higurashi part. I corrected it already. Arigato gozaimasu!

**Next chapter preview:**

**_Himura-sensei:_** Oro? _:blinks at audience:_ What am I doing here? This fic isn't even about my anime.

**_Sailor Helios:_** _:elbows him:_ Just read the cue cards, will you?

**_Himura-sensei:_** Hai, Helios-dono. _:nods obediently:_ Next on The Substitute: regret and guilt plague Kagome; Miroku encounters a rival; Naraku threatens to spill the secret he heard to Kikyo; a pep talk coming from me and Kagome and Inuyasha… _:turns to Helios: _Hey, I thought those two were mortal enemies? Isn't that a little too much affection for…mmmph! _:Helios has suddenly stuffed his mouth with a dirty sock:_

**_Sailor Helios:_** You're not supposed to read that! I scratched that part out! _:stares at Himura-sensei who suddenly looks swirly-eyed:_ Oi, you okay, battousai man? _:Himura-sensei drops in a dead faint on the floor:_ Okay, maybe that sock was a little too much…

**Jakotsu:**_:appears out of nowhere:_ I'm here to resuscitate him! _:makes a move to do CPR on the swirly-eyed redhead:_

**Kamiya-sensei:** Oh no, you're not! _:a bokken materializes in her hand:_ You come near my Kenshin and you will taste my Heavenly Justice!

_:Kamiya-sensei chases Jakotsu around the stage, all the while running over Himura-sensei while they're at it:_

**_Sailor Helios:_** Er…_:sweat-drops: _Anyway, while Kamiya-sensei is trying to get her hands on the Fairy of Love,I'd like to ask you guyshow the chapter turned out. Was it good, bad or extremely...um...weird?I'd love to hear from you guys. _:starts to walk away from the commotion. Kamiya-sensei and Jakotsu are pulling each other's cheeks:_ Well, I still need to work on the next chapter. See you guys later!


	18. Undeniable Attraction

I'm alive! _::stares at angry reviewers::_ Eep! So sorry for not updating for more than a year! _::gets on hands and knees and begs forgiveness::_ Computer problems, busy schedules (I became an editor at my college's paper, ack!) and writer's block are to blame. After countless rewriting and editing, here is your next installment. I hope you like it. Once again, sorry for the very, VERY long delay.

I have to warn you though, this is 30 pages in MS Word. It is very long (my longest chapter to date) so prepare yourself for an extremely long read. You might want to refresh on the last few chapters to jog your memory. Honestly, I didn't anticipate it to be this long but I already had all the chapters outlined a long time ago. A year's worth of ideas were crammed here. Hopefully, you don't doze off in the middle reading this chap. _::LOL:: _

I humbly thank all the reviewers who took the time to send me reviews and PMs. I do read them. Thank you very, very much. All your reviews gave me inspiration not to give up on this fic. _::hands all reviewers Inuyasha-shaped cookies:: _Arigato gozaimasu, minna-san!

**_Previously on The Substitute:_** The dinner dates after the Dating Game take place. Miroku and Sango are caught in a romantic moment under a firework-lit sky. It's not the same for Inuyasha and Kagome though, since our favorite hanyou decides to spy on her date with a disguised Jakotsu. After intimidating Hojo and having a short dance with Kagome, Inuyasha once again grates on Kagome's temper after she realizes what he did to her poor date. She storms off, gets cornered by hooligans and is saved by Inuyasha in the nick of time…but at a cost. Inuyasha is stabbed and is at the brink of death. Will true feelings surface this time around?

**_Warning:_** Contains angst, jealousy, evil plots, tears, kidnapping and fluff in the end. Hope you enjoy it. :)

**_Disclaimer:_** I don't own Inuyasha. It belongs to the talented Rumiko Takahashi.

**The Substitute  
****Chapter 18  
****'Undeniable Attraction'**

_Inuyasha felt the darkness overcome him. It wasn't as bad as he had initially imagined. Death seemed a painful and unbearable experience when he mused over it during boring lectures in History and Science. But right now, as the pain ebbed away and a feeling of peacefulness washed over him, dying didn't seem as bad as he originally thought._

_From out of the dark expanse of nothingness, he suddenly heard a sound. _

_It was somebody sniffling._

"_Please live," a voice whispered shakily. It was Kagome. "I'll never forgive myself if you die. Please live…for Kikyo, for Izayoi-san, for Miroku…" She paused and in a barely audible voice added, "For me."_

_A few moments later, Inuyasha felt something pulling him, taking him away from the darkness, bringing him back to life. He wasn't entirely sure if it was his sudden overpowering will to live that was spurred by Kagome's words or somebody had just suddenly performed some form of resuscitation on him._

_The pain in his abdomen returned, but instead of the expected excruciating pain, it was only a dull ache. His senses, although dulled and weakened, could sense that it was drizzling. The soft pitter-patter of tiny raindrops pelted all around him and wetness was slowly seeping into his clothing._

_Inuyasha groggily opened his eyes and instantly met Kagome's beautiful blue ones, immediately bringing him a sense of relief. _

_But that feeling did not last long. The expression of shock written all over her lovely features told him something was wrong. Through Kagome's glassy eyes he instantly realized that he was in his hanyou form._

_Suddenly, the awaiting arms of death did not seem like such a bad alternative._

_Her expression haunted him, fueling images from the past when he was scorned by both humans and youkai alike._

"_She knows," he realized, swallowing painfully._

Inuyasha opened his eyes and let his vision roam to the horizon. It was early morning and the sun was just starting to appear behind the hazy clouds, its sunbeams highlighting his striking amber orbs and silver hair.

He was perched on a sturdy branch on one of the thick wooded trees in the Takahashi gardens. Leaning back on the trunk, he idly viewed the sunrise, an arm resting on his bended knee.

That memory kept relieving itself over and over again in his head like a bad movie that imprinted itself permanently in his consciousness. Even just the act of closing his eyes idly for a few seconds was enough to make the images of that rainy night flash back in his mind.

He knew now that it was Jakotsu who took off his beaded necklace. He bore no ill feelings towards Miroku's cross-dressing cousin because admittedly, if it hadn't been for Jakotsu's quick thinking, he would most certainly have died…but at the cost of Kagome knowing the secret he tried so long and so hard to keep.

It had already been three days since the incident that happened near The Hanabi. After staying for a day at the hospital, it was decided that Inuyasha recuperate at home to avoid the media frenzy that emerged soon after what had happened to him leaked out to the public. After all, it wasn't every day that you get news from the mysterious and powerful Takahashi family, even less so from the young heir who was voted as the most eligible bachelor in almost every teen magazine in Tokyo.

Another reason for Inuyasha recovering at home was because of his secret. Nobody except a handful of people knows he is a hanyou. The doctors had advised that he be in this form to speed up his recovery. Inuyasha had begrudgingly agreed after much coercion from his mother. He hated being in his hanyou form.

Only those who knew of his identity as a hanyou were allowed to see him. Miroku came every day before classes began and soon after classes were over, sometimes with Sango tagging along. Feisty Jakotsu would drop by every afternoon and would always attempt (and fail) to touch his cute doggy ears. Shippou would visit after his preschool classes to give him his latest sketches (his current favorite subject being his teacher's cat) which, in Inuyasha's opinion, looked every inch like an orange pig.

But despite all of these visits, and besides receiving countless get well presents from people he didn't even know, something still troubled him. Kagome had never come to see him. Of all people, it was her he had wanted to see the most.

Try as he might to convince himself otherwise, he could not help thinking that perhaps it had something to do with him being a half-breed.

_"She must be too disgusted to see me,"_ he thought, shutting his eyes. A small, painful smile appeared on his lips.

That was not new to him. He had encountered quite a lot of humans and youkai like that when he was small. He knew the feeling of being ostracized, to belong nowhere, to be shunned and rejected.

It was with this knowledge that he decided not to tell Kikyo his real nature when they were a couple. It hurts to be rejected; a thousand times more painful is to be rejected by someone you love.

"Inu-chan!"

Inuyasha didn't need to look down to see who it was. The familiar scent of vanilla and lilies tickled his nose. It was his mother. Inuyasha jumped down from the tree to meet her.

"You know you're not allowed to do anything strenuous for a week," Izayoi told him softly in an attempt to lightly scold her son. "It's the doctor's orders, Inu-chan."

She lifted his loose white shirt and checked if the bandages around his abdomen had telltale signs of bleeding. They remained clean and white.

"How the heck could that be _strenuous_?" Inuyasha countered defensively. "I just _jumped_ up a tree. And besides, my wound is almost completely healed!" With his youkai blood, Inuyasha knew his injury was going to be just a faint scar a day or two from now.

Izayoi sighed softly gave her son a small smile. "Inuyasha, you may be in hanyou form but you have to still follow the doctors' regimen," she reminded. "It's only for a few more days."

Inuyasha irritably blew at his bangs. He hated this set-up. He hated being cooped up at home, unable to do the usual stuff to keep him preoccupied, since they usually involved quite a lot of physical exertion. Since his mom was a stickler to the doctors' advice, he was left with the option of loitering around the mansion, watching movies in the amphitheater or playing videogames. His injury wasn't going to kill him; he was probably going to die from unadulterated boredom.

Izayoi's gaze traveled to the thick branch Inuyasha was resting on a few minutes ago, violet eyes softening. Whatever she was thinking, she had the tact to keep it to herself.

"Oh, before I forget," Izayoi focused her attention back to her son, "this is from your father. It arrived just last night." She handed him a small envelope.

Just when Inuyasha thought nothing else could dampen this day, this had to turn out. He wanted to throw it away, but seeing that his mother was waiting for him to open it, he willed himself to put on a neutral expression and tore the envelope open with one of his claws.

It was get well card. Inuyasha opened it and started reading the contents.

_Dear Inuyasha,_

_I hope you're doing better now. I wish I could be there with you and your mother but I have an important business to attend here in Berlin. Please understand._

_I hope my gift will compensate for my absence._

_Your Father_

Inuyasha looked away, hoping he could hide the frown he was wearing from his mother. The message was short and business-like. His father wrote it as if in a hurry and like Inuyasha just had a minor cold and not a life-threatening injury.

Inuyasha turned the envelope upside down, emptying it of the key that came along with the card. The key landed neatly on the palm of his free hand. It took him a mere glance to find out his father had given him another motorcycle, the latest Ducati model most probably. When his father couldn't come, he always had an expensive gift to make up for his absence. It was always like that.

But Inuyasha knew that no matter how much 'bribe' his father offered, it was never going to be enough to buy his affection. His father had always said in his letters that he wished he could be there with him. But that was just it. He only wished but never tried. He was never really there.

"I'm getting something to eat," Inuyasha stated, turning away. Truth be told, eating was the last thing he planned on doing, but he did not want his mother see the scowl on his face.

Like his mind wasn't preoccupied as it was already, thinking about a certain blue-eyed girl and her reason for not seeing him, his father had to come into the picture and make his day even worse. Just great. The only thing missing now was Sesshoumaru and his condescending remarks.

Now _that_ would just complete his day.

* * *

Izayoi sighed as she watched her son stalk off. Maybe that wasn't the most appropriate time to have given Inuyasha his father's get well message. 

Her gaze wandered to the branch he was sitting on earlier, her eyes sad.

_"You were thinking of Kagome again, weren't you, Inuyasha?"_

Izayoi's violet orbs looked thoughtful. If there was only something she could do. She tucked a stray lock of hair behind her ears. Hmm. Maybe there _was_ something she could do. She fished out her cell phone and started dialing.

* * *

_"Inuyasha…"_

_The light drizzle that started earlier was turning into full-fledged rain. But Kagome hardly noticed. She was still coming into grips after she saw Inuyasha transform in front of her eyes. Kikyo had indeed told her he was a hanyou, but never did she imagine that he was the same mysterious stranger who managed to steal her first kiss in last week's Dating Game. _

_She reached out with her free hand and gently pushed back the few locks of silver hair away from his face. A faint blush rose on her cheeks. Despite the urgency of the situation, she could not help but admire his looks, which seemed a lot sharper and more regal in his hanyou form. The shock she had felt earlier started to ebb away._

_As she withdrew her hand, her blue eyes met his amber ones. They were intense and penetrating. Was that relief she was seeing in his eyes? But she could not be sure as it was quickly replaced with another emotion. Was that hurt? Shame? He suddenly looked away, breaking their eye contact, his brows knitting together as if suddenly flooded by a painful thought. _

_What could he be thinking?_

_"Inuyasha, I—" But before she could finish, the blare of sirens and flashing emergency lights appeared. In a flurry of movement, paramedics rushed into the scene and took him away from her to a waiting ambulance._

_Kagome tried to break through the line of paramedics to get to Inuyasha, but somebody suddenly grabbed her arm gently. _

_"He's going to be, okay." Kagome almost forgot Jakotsu was still there. He gave her a consoling smile, his blond wig noticeably sloppy after being soaked in the rain. "It'll take more than that to kill him, Kagome-san. Don't worry."_

_Kagome took a shaky breath as her eyes remained on Inuyasha. He was purposely avoiding her gaze. "Inuyasha, what's wrong?" she wanted to ask desperately, but she bit her tongue and instead decided to watch mutely as the ambulance doors closed and the vehicle drove away. _

_Kagome bowed her head. She could not shake off the haunting expression in his amber orbs. What could that mean? _

"Is he angry with me?"_ she thought._

_"What do you think?" A voice asked, out of the blue._

_Kagome snapped her head up. The scene of that rainy night in the outskirts of Tokyo faded away, to be replaced by Shikon Gakuen's rooftop. _

_"What's going on?" Kagome's brows knitted in confusion._

_Footsteps echoed behind her. Kagome whirled around and stifled a gasp. It was Kikyo. Her expression looked neutral but her gray eyes were cold and piercing._

"_You want to know if Inuyasha is angry with you," Kikyo reminded quietly, breaking the unnerving silence. "What if I told you he is, Higurashi-san?" _

_"B-but why?" _

_Kikyo gave a short hollow laugh. "You don't know?" A small, sardonic smile appeared on her lips, giving Kagome the goosebumps. This was not Kikyo. She may be reserved, but she was not derisive. "For somebody who managed to get a full scholarship to Shikon Gakuen, you certainly are quite dense."_

_"What are you talking about?" Kagome clenched her hands._

_"Why wouldn't he be angry with you?" Kikyo took a step closer, the neutral expression slowly replaced with disdain. "It was your fault he got hurt in the first place, Higurashi-san."_

_Kagome's eyes widened. Her vocal cords suddenly lost their power to speak._

_"Don't you remember?" Kikyo took another step. "Or have you conveniently forgotten to relieve your conscience? Let me remind you then."_

_Kagome felt her body go numb and she could barely breathe._

_"You shouldn't have let your temper get the better of you, Higurashi-san." Kikyo's voice was cold and quiet and yet each word felt like a painful physical blow. "If you didn't foolishly decide to go home alone late that night, you wouldn't have encountered those thugs. Inuyasha would not have gotten hurt."_

_"B-but…" Kagome started to tremble and her blue eyes were glassy with tears. "Inuyasha t-told me it wasn't my f-fault…"_

_Kikyo continued as if she had not heard her. "What if Jakotsu was not there? You didn't even have the presence of mind to call for help! What would you have done? Just watch him bleed to death?"_

_"No!" A tear escaped from Kagome's eye. She clamped her hands over her ears. "Please stop!"_

_"Inuyasha almost died because of you!" Kikyo had lost her cool persona and she was openly glaring at Kagome. "He got hurt because of you and your foolish actions! And you even wonder if he's angry with you? Isn't it obvious? I wouldn't be surprised if he never wants to see you again!" Kikyo took a menacing step forward and in one fluid motion pushed Kagome roughly off the railing._

_Kagome felt herself fall, tears spilling from her eyes. "I'm so sorry, Inuyasha…"_

Kagome's eyes flew open and she immediately sat up in bed.

It had all been a dream.

She buried her face in her hands and instantly realized she had been crying in her sleep. She felt a dull ache in her chest as she took a shaky breath. Wiping her eyes with the sleeve of her pajamas, she stole a glance at her alarm clock. It wasn't even seven in the morning yet. She reached out and turned the alarm, which would not be ringing until five minutes later, off. She did not feel like going back to sleep anymore anyway.

Kagome pulled her knees under her chin, her blue eyes melancholic. She barely had any sleep these past few days. The event that night kept haunting her, and it didn't help that guilt plagued her, even in dreams, as manifested by Kikyo.

That was why she never visited Inuyasha. She was too afraid to see him, too afraid of how he would react if he saw her. She could never bear to see him so angry with her. And she could never look him in the eye because of guilt.

Kagome angrily brushed away another tear. She was weak and useless. She was not even able to do anything to save him when he risked his life to protect her. She could only watch helplessly as he slowly slipped away. Thank heavens Jakotsu was there.

She was suddenly startled by a soft tapping on her door.

"Kagome?"

Kagome's eyes widened. What in the world was Sango doing here so early? She hastily wiped her face dry from tears. Her best friend should not see her crying. Kagome didn't want to worry her. She dove back into the covers just as soon as Sango opened the door.

* * *

"Rise and shine sleepyhead!" Sango greeted energetically as she entered the room. 

"I know you're awake, Kagome," Sango said knowingly as she inched towards the windows. Sango pulled the curtains back, flooding Kagome's bedroom with early morning sunshine. "It's a beautiful morning!" If Kagome heard her, she certainly wasn't making any move to get up.

Sango sat on the edge of Kagome's bed and started poking her best friend through the covers. "Wake up, Kagome-chan!" she chimed, using her best friend's pet name. "As the old saying goes, 'The early bird keeps the doctor away to teach old cats dog tricks'!"

She heard Kagome giggle softly under the covers.

Sango took this as the cue to pull away Kagome's blankets. The girl with the dark blue Pikachu printed pajamas groaned. "Sango, what are you doing here at this ungodly hour?" Kagome asked, looking cross as if her beauty sleep was interrupted. "Has Kohaku set your alarm clock time in advance again? It's only seven A.M. if you must know."

But Sango knew Kagome was already up before she even came in if her eyes were any indication. It looked like Kagome had been crying.

Sango pulled Kagome upright. "No, silly!" she replied brightly. "You're hitching a ride with me to school today."

Kagome's blue eyes turned suspicious. "Why?"

Sango opened Kagome's cabinet and neatly placed Kagome's uniform on the bed before tossing Kagome her towel. She feigned an injured look. "Why do you doubt my good intentions?" she answered, before dismally realizing she sounded so much like Miroku. "Aren't you happy you don't have to bike your way to school? And we can get to do some best friend bonding on the way, too."

She pulled Kagome to her feet and shooed her out the bedroom. "I'll meet you downstairs in," she stole a glance at her watch, "ten minutes. Don't dilly-dally in the shower, you hear? Reserve your bath concerts another day."

"Sango!" Kagome's face burned with embarrassment. Sango sometimes joked that her singing brought about storms not forecasted by the weather bureau, a sure sign that the heavens were mortified with her voice. She was no Celine Dion, but still, she was not _that_ tone deaf to brew up a thunderstorm!

Sango grinned. "Nine minutes!"

Kagome sighed in acquiescence and marched off to the bathroom.

Sango closed Kagome's bedroom door and wearily leaned on it, her happy façade vanishing instantly. Kagome had been acting strangely for days. She would always put on the happy face but Sango knew something bothered her. And that something involved Inuyasha.

Sango exhaled audibly. She did not know the reason why Kagome avoided visiting Inuyasha in spite of her, Miroku and Jakotsu's incessant invitations that she come with them to visit her pretend boyfriend. And she felt frustrated that Kagome refused to tell her what was really bothering her, always pretending everything was okay even if it wasn't.

_"Just be there for her, Sango-chan,"_ she remembered Miroku telling her softly. _"She needs to work out this personal problem by herself. She probably doesn't want to trouble you. The best thing you can do is lend her your strength and your smile. She needs a best friend even more now."_

And that was what she came here to do.

* * *

"Hey." 

Miroku, who had just stepped out of his car, looked up expectantly. As soon as he recognized who had called him, his face instantly clouded over. "What are you doing here, Miyu?" he asked, devoid of the usual Miroku chirpiness.

Miyu sauntered seductively over to him, showing off the designer dress that hugged her body and showed all the right curves. She was beautiful, yes, but the predatory glint in her green eyes betrayed the fact that her beauty was only skin deep.

"Aw, is that how you treat your girlfriend, Miro-chan?" she cooed, reaching out to touch his cheek. Miroku turned away, preventing her from caressing his face. The model's face immediately darkened.

Miroku activated his car alarm. "We have long been through, Miyu," he stated, brushing past her, not even giving her a second glance. "Please excuse me, I have classes to attend to."

"I know about your best friend's little scheme."

Miroku froze in his tracks. Putting on a look of indifference to mask his surprise, he slowly turned around. It couldn't be. How could she know?

"Inuyasha has had lots of schemes," he retorted flatly. "That's not new. I don't know why you're even telling me this."

Miyu stared at her well manicured nails lazily before locking her eyes with his dark blue orbs. "Silly Miro-chan," she replied, smiling sweetly. "I meant the scheme about using that Kagome girl to get his old flame back." Her smile widened with satisfaction as she saw the look of alarm that flashed in his eyes for a brief second.

"How did you know that?" Miroku demanded, his grip tightening on the handle of his school bag.

Miyu tilted her head, smiling smugly. "I have my ways."

"What do you want?" Miroku's voice was cold and detached.

Miyu took her time as she strolled over to him. "Let me think," she answered, tapping her chin in mock contemplation. She then ran a finger down his black uniform tie, her eyes never leaving his. "I want you to stay away from Sango Miyabe."

* * *

"Are you sure you don't want to come with us after school?" Sango inquired for the fifth time. She and Kagome were sitting at the backseat as her chichi-ue drove them to school. "You know, to visit Takahashi-kun?" 

Kagome, who had been staring out the window at the prominent Tokyo Tower, sighed patiently. "I still have to work at Kaede-obaasan's restaurant," she replied, turning her attention back to her best friend.

"You could always excuse yourself," Sango retorted. "I'm sure Kaede-obaasan will understand. It's only one afternoon." How ironic can this get? Here she was, advocating Kagome to see Inuyasha when a few weeks ago, she wanted nothing more than to keep him and his evil claws away from her best friend.

Seeing Kagome was not budging, she tried again. "How about _after_ your part-time job?"

Kagome looked at the window again. "I-I have to help Grandpa arrange ancient scrolls in the shed," she answered without much conviction.

Sango suppressed the urge to throw her hands up in the air in frustration. "Can't you arrange those some other day?" she replied incredulously. "It's not like anyone is actually going to benefit from an arranged set of _ancient_ scrolls."

Kagome sighed delicately. "I'm sure he doesn't want to see me anyway." Sango glanced at her friend from the corner of her eye. Kagome had said it so softly it was barely audible. "Maybe except if I was Kikyo…"

"How can you say that?" Sango inquired quietly. She has had this conversation before, but she was determined to know the reason this time. "Why are you avoiding him? Did he do something to you?"

Kagome straightened up on her seat, showing her discomfort at the topic. "No."

"Does it have something to do with him being a ha—"

Kagome shook her head. "No, of course not."

"So why won't you go?" Sango scrunched her brows. "He's not rabid or anything. If he didn't do anything to you, why are you so afraid to see him?" If he didn't do anything to her, could it be the other way around? And then it suddenly clicked into place.

Kagome must have sensed her realization since she subtly changed the topic. "You know," she said casually. "You keep talking about me and Inuyasha."

Oh crap.

Sango knew where this conversation was headed.

"How about you and Miroku?" Kagome had shifted the subject successfully. Even her chichi-ue seemed interested, his eyes darting at them for a second from the rearview mirror. "You never told me much about last Sunday."

At this point, getting smacked by a halibut in the face was much more appealing. "I told you, _nothing_ happened," Sango muttered, her cheeks slightly flushed. "Stop it Kagome. You're avoiding the topic."

"Really now?" Kagome replied gleefully, enjoying the fact that the tables have turned. "So how come he's seems a lot sweeter to you this week? It's him who's been leaving those white roses in your locker, right?"

Sango's eyes slanted. "You're imagining things, Kagome. It was a platonic date," she clarified tiredly. "We just went to a viewpoint and watched fireworks before Jakotsu called and told us what happened to Inuyasha. That was it. End of story."

Kagome studied her for a moment. "You're not telling me everything," she said. "Didn't he even kiss you or at least try to kiss you? Even in the cheek? Or hand?"

Sango decided to remain mute the rest of the way to school.

* * *

"Why are you doing this, Miyu?" he demanded, face impassive, completely masking the growing trepidation he felt inside. Miroku had always prided himself for staying cool and reserved, even in the most daunting of circumstances. But right now, even the act of swallowing took a tremendous amount of effort. 

Miyu twirled a lock of hair around her finger. "Oh, I just felt like it," she replied lightly, her eyes glinting with spite. "Because lately I've realized that it's high time that you get a dose of your own medicine."

A frown appeared on Miroku's otherwise composed face.

"Because no one does that to Miyu Kayama and gets away with it." Miyu's voice had become low and menacing. "I have been on almost every magazine in Tokyo and you dare dump me for a plain-looking girl like her? How could you choose her over me? How dare you humiliate me! What does she have that I don't?"

"Because she's Sango," Miroku answered simply.

Miyu closed her eyes as if to regain her composure. "She has captivated you that much, huh?" she retorted, her lips twisting into a mocking smile. "I wonder if she feels the same way though."

Miroku's eyes darkened.

"She may blush, Miro-chan, but that doesn't mean she feels the same way for _you_."

Miyu's remark certainly hit home.

_Flashback._

"Beautiful," Miroku murmured, watching as the light of the fireworks display illuminated Sango's face. She was breathtaking in her light magenta dress with her hair down. Miroku had seen and dated some of the most beautiful women in Japan, and yet they paled in comparison to the lady standing next to him.

Sango looked at him, smiling in agreement. "Yes, the view certainly is beautiful here, Kanzaki."

Miroku looked at her fondly. She looked even more beautiful when she smiled, and a lot more endearing when she didn't realize the compliment he threw her way. "I wasn't talking about the fireworks."

Realization dawned on Sango's face and she suddenly took a step backward. "Maybe we should get going now," she suggested quietly as the final remnants of the fireworks display glimmered in the sky.

"Wait." Miroku gently but firmly held her arm to keep her from heading back to the car. He felt her stiffen under his touch.

"What are you doing, Kanzaki?" Sango asked, her voice sounding nervous as Miroku stepped closer, intruding on her personal space.

"Something that I should have done a very long time ago," Miroku answered, pushing away the warning voice of Mr. Miyabe echoing in his mind.

He would worry about the consequences of his actions later. Right now, he wanted nothing more than to claim her lips. He had long dreamed of this moment ever since he had first seen her at that party more than a year ago. And the chaste kiss she had given him on the Dating Game only made him want to kiss her more, to show her the passion and longing he had bottled inside for so long.

"Please don't."

With his face just a few inches away from hers, it took all his willpower to stop. Any other girl would have melted in his arms at this situation, but Sango was not just any other girl.

"Please don't, Kanzaki," she repeated quietly, her voice remaining firm even when her brown eyes shook. "I'm not going to be just another girl who will fall prey to your charms just so you can add me to your list. I'm not going to let myself be like all your old girlfriends that you dumped coldheartedly just because you think each girl has an expiration date. I…I don't want that."

Miroku was too stunned, even to breathe.

Didn't she see how he never treated her like all the other girls? That he respected her too much to ever take advantage of her, even when he could easily do so?

Didn't she see his little signs of affection, like calling her Sango-chan or giving her his hanky when she cried or when he gave her the magazine she longed for?

Didn't she ever wonder why he always let her hit him without complaint or retaliation?

Didn't she ever notice the smile he reserved only for her?

Didn't she see how much he cared?

Basing from what Sango had just said, she never did.

_End of Flashback._

"Stop this, Miyu," Miroku's voice had considerably hardened.

"But I'm just getting started," Miyu replied, delighted to see him helpless. "So does that mean you're not going to meet my demands?" She glanced at some Shikon Gakuen students entering the campus. "You know, I can just easily tell one of your schoolmates about your scheme and it'll be all over school before lunchtime." She smirked at him. "You'll probably have one less best friend around, but hey, you get to keep _her_, right?"

Miroku secretly clenched his teeth. Miyu had put him in a difficult situation: choosing his best friend or the only girl he ever truly cared about. He probably deserved it though, with all those girls he hurt in the past. This truly was karma.

"There is one thing you can do," Miyu suddenly voiced out.

Miroku looked on warily. "What is it?"

Miyu said the two words he least likely expected. "Kiss me." Noticing his guarded expression, she closed the gap between them and she draped her arms over his shoulders. "No strings attached. After you kiss me, I'll never bother you again."

This was too easy. Far _too_ easy.

"I'm giving you an easy way out, Miro-chan," Miyu whispered in his ear. "Take it or leave it."

He didn't have much of a choice, did he? Miroku looked around and felt relieved when there was nobody in the parking area to see them. He then leaned in to kiss her, intent to get this over and done with.

Miyu suddenly put a hand over his lips. "Not just a kiss, Miro-chan," she murmured. "I want you to kiss me like you used to: with feeling." She placed his hands on her tiny waist.

Taking a final resolute breath, he kissed her, forcing himself to imagine that he was kissing Sango instead. It seemed like the longest kiss of his life and he just barely suppressed a sigh of relief when she broke away.

Miyu was smiling, a triumphant and sinister smile on her lips. Before he could process what that meant, her green eyes looked to the side. He slowly turned, following her gaze, his insides suddenly filled with dread.

His heart stopped beating. Sango was standing a few meters away from them, her expression a mixture of shock and hurt.

He hastily pushed Miyu away. "I-It's not what you think, Sango!"

Kagome suddenly appeared behind her friend. "Sorry for taking so long," she said apologetically. "I bumped into Hojo and—" She stopped abruptly when she saw the devastated look on Miroku's face and the beautiful girl standing next to him. Beside her, she noticed Sango glaring openly at the two. "Um, what's going on?"

"Let's go, Kagome," Sango voiced out, turning away. "We're going to be late."

Kagome looked at Miroku in confusion, before meekly following Sango.

Sango suddenly turned around, looking at Miroku with an unreadable expression. "I'll see you in class, Kanzaki," she said coldly before walking off. "I'm sorry if I interrupted anything."

Miroku clenched a shaking hand. _"Sango…"_

* * *

"Are you…happy now, Miyu?" Miroku demanded hoarsely. 

Miyu smirked. "I am. Very much."

His face was lowered, his bangs covering his eyes, making it impossible for her to see his expression clearly. But nonetheless, she felt ecstatic. That playboy finally got what he deserved. Miyu had just succeeded breaking his heart, which more than made up for the countless of hearts, including hers, that he had broken indiscriminately.

Who would have thought that somebody like him could genuinely fall in love? Now he knew how all his previous girlfriends felt; how much it stung to lose someone you loved deeply. But he had this coming and he deserved this, Miyu told herself.

After giving her ex-boyfriend one final disdainful glance, Miyu casually strolled towards the car parked just across the Shikon Gakuen campus.

The dark tinted window of the parked black Mercedes lowered. Miyu stooped over and took off the small radio device in her ear. "It worked perfectly," she reported with satisfaction. "Your plan was brilliant. You cued me right on time." She let out a short laugh. "Did you see his face when she saw us?"

"I did." The shadows covered the face of the man inside the vehicle.

Miyu dropped the device on the man's outreached palm. Thanks to it, he was able to tell her that Sango had arrived in school and estimated the time it would take before the Taekwondo girl reached them, making it easy for Miyu set Miroku up to kiss her. It was the brilliant revenge.

"Thank you, Naraku."

The mentioned man gave her a cold smile. "My pleasure."

* * *

Kagome was certain something was off that lunchtime. 

Maybe it had something to do with Sango deliberately looking anywhere besides Miroku, to the point that she even seemed to find cracks on the wall interesting. Or maybe it was because she had never seen Miroku so troubled as he tried and failed miserably to strike a conversation with Sango or to even catch her eye.

Kagome was ready to bet her grandfather's entire collection of dried mystical animal body parts that it had something to do with what happened this morning. What _exactly_ happened though, she had no idea. She was busy apologizing to Hojo for Inuyasha's behavior last Sunday when whatever happened between Sango and Miroku took place. She _had_ seen the beautiful girl beside Miroku, but she was fair and rational enough not to jump to conclusions.

"Sango please listen to me." Miroku looked pleadingly at the girl sitting across him.

It did not go unnoticed to Kagome that he had dropped the usual "-chan" suffix from her best friend's name. This was serious.

Sango finished her drink as her gaze wandered to a nearby ornamental plant, looking like she never heard anything.

Kagome shot a glance at Jakotsu, who was sitting beside Miroku. Jakotsu had been keeping them company since Inuyasha's injury. Obviously, his keen Fairy of Love senses detected something was amiss also. But unlike Kagome, he was the more vocal, albeit tactless type.

"Are you two having a lover's quarrel?" He asked. The question seemed innocent enough.

Sango's eye twitched, showing her contained anger. "We are _not_ lovers!" She hissed, slowly and clearly pronouncing each word for emphasis. "Why don't you go ask lover boy there instead? He has lots of _lovers_!" She suddenly got up. "Please excuse me." She gave Kagome a sincere apologetic look. "I'm going ahead. I need some fresh air."

Kagome nodded mutely and watched her leave.

As soon as Sango left, she and Jakotsu trained their eyes on Miroku, who was already on his feet and looked ready to go after her. Jakotsu pulled him back to his seat.

"What did you do to Sango?" Kagome demanded evenly.

She may not look like it, but she was protective of her best friend too.

* * *

Kikyo sipped her iced tea as she listened with mild interest to Yura and Abi as they chattered about the latest collection of some European fashion designer. It wasn't really a topic she was interested in so she let her gray eyes roam to the other cafeteria tables, resting on the familiar table holding Inuyasha's friends. 

Kikyo felt a twinge of jealousy well up in her chest. That happened every time she looked at _her_, the beautiful, unassuming blue eyed girl. It was a disconcerting feeling, knowing she could have been in Kagome's place if she didn't go through with the break-up. It was even worse now since she felt so helpless and frustrated, hardly knowing anything about Inuyasha's condition.

Just then, her cell phone rang. It was none other than her half brother. Resisting the urge to ignore the call, she flipped her phone open and answered the call reluctantly.

"What can I do for you, Naraku?" She asked formally, her voice not showing the dislike she felt inside.

"Did I interrupt you?" Naraku drawled on the line. "Are you still eating lunch, _dear sister_?"

Kikyo secretly gritted her teeth. "I am very busy, _dear brother_," she retorted politely. "So if you have nothing important to tell me, I suggest you hang up."

"Is that the way you treat a relative?" Naraku pretended to sound hurt. "You wound me, especially since I have news that might interest you."

Kikyo refrained herself from sighing loudly. "I'm sure you have, Naraku," she replied, her voice remaining calm and composed. He has been doing this all week, giving her knowing looks at home, like he held a deliciously shocking secret. "But really, classes will resume in fifteen minutes and I still have some things to do." In actuality, she didn't, but any lie will do to ward Naraku off.

"Is that so? I'm sorry to hear that." Naraku clicked his tongue. "Especially since it involves Inuyasha."

Kikyo's grip tightened on the phone. "What do you mean?"

"Do you know what happened with his dinner date in The Hanabi last Sunday?" Naraku inquired, sounding delighted to finally have gotten her full attention.

"Yes," Kikyo answered cautiously. "I've heard bits and pieces of what happened from people here in school." She stole a glance at her two best friends and was relieved they were still in deep conversation. "What are you getting at, Naraku?" She asked quietly.

"I didn't mean the events that took place _outside_ the restaurant," Naraku clarified. "I meant the events that happened _inside_."

A slight frown appeared on Kikyo's forehead. "What do you mean?"

"All in good time, sister," Naraku replied nonchalantly. "I thought you were busy."

"If this is just your way of riling me up, Naraku, it's not working," Kikyo returned coolly, although her hands itched for a bow to shoot his stepbrother chock full of arrows.

She heard Naraku snort. "Believe what you want to believe," he responded. "But that's not the only information I have. It involves Inuyasha and that pretty Kagome Higurashi and their whole," Naraku cleared his throat for emphasis, "_arranged_ relationship." Kikyo could just see him smirking. "I'm positive you'll like that one even more."

"You're bluffing," she told him silently, refusing to believe him. What he was saying was simply preposterous…or was it? "How could someone like you know something like this?"

"I have my ways," Naraku answered enigmatically.

"What are you getting out of this, Naraku?" Kikyo asked, keeping her voice cool and composed. She knew it was not wise to let her emotions slip. "And what are you trying to tell me about Inuyasha and Higurashi-san?" The hints he gave her was confusing, and they were starting to make her head swim.

"You'll know soon enough," Naraku cackled mysteriously. "All in due time." There was a soft click and then silence.

Kikyo stared at her phone and frowned slightly. Naraku just hung up on her. It was angering how he could tease her with all those hints and then rudely cut the call. She wanted to chuck her phone away but her self-control and composure would not let her.

What did Naraku mean about Kagome and Inuyasha's "arranged" relationship?

But before she could ponder any further, lunch ended as the bell rang.

* * *

Kagome slowly cleared her table and started shoving her books and notebooks into her bag. The bell rang a few minutes ago, signaling the end of classes for the day. 

Kagome heard the last of the students shuffle out of the classroom as she picked up the remaining notebook on her desk. As she did so, the forgotten pen that she had tucked between its sheets fell unceremoniously to the floor. Sighing, she bent over to pick it up, just as another hand reached out for it.

"You dropped this."

Kagome looked up, her eyes widening. Kikyo Sanada was standing by her desk, delicately holding out her hand to return the pen.

Kagome gingerly took it and stuffed it into her bag. "Thanks," she voiced out, putting on a small smile, which Kikyo returned with a more subdued one. It just then struck her how odd it was that Kikyo was still here. She always had her afternoon archery practice so what was she still doing in the empty classroom? Kikyo could not possibly be here for an idle chat because, disregarding their conversation at the rooftop during Culture Day, they never speak to each other. There was nothing to say.

"Higurashi-san?" Kagome looked up as Kikyo addressed her politely. Despite Kikyo's aura of confidence, she seemed somewhat hesitant. "How is…Inuyasha?"

"He's much better," Kagome answered, forcing a cheerful smile. She fought off the sudden gnawing pain in her chest from being reminded of Inuyasha. Somehow, Kikyo's simple question was enough to make guilt and sadness seep back in. And as Kagome studied Kikyo in her calm and collected radiance, she suddenly could not help but feel inferior and self-conscious in comparison. Wait. Why was she even comparing herself to Kikyo all of a sudden?

Kikyo's gray eyes softened. "I see," she murmured. "That's good to hear."

Kagome half expected to see Kikyo leave already, assuming that she had accomplished what she came here to talk about. But she was surprised when Kikyo suddenly held out an elegant cream-colored gift.

"I know it's too much to ask," Kikyo started, "but can you give this to Inuyasha? It's my get-well gift to him."

Kagome quietly took the present. She and Miroku had been receiving quite a handful of get-well presents from Shikon Gakuen students who could not drop by Inuyasha's place. However, it was Miroku who took all these presents to Inuyasha.

Kikyo looked apologetic. "I'm sorry if I caused any inconvenience on your part, Higurashi-san," she said silently. "I was planning to give this earlier but I didn't know how to approach you, I being his past girlfriend and all, asking you to bring a gift to him," Kikyo explained in her soft and composed voice. "It seemed _awkward_."

"It's alright, Sanada-san," Kagome replied. Like Kikyo, her get-well gift looked every inch perfect. Kagome felt miniscule in comparison. She didn't even have any get-well gifts for Inuyasha, considering it was all her fault he got hurt to begin with…

Kikyo smiled gratefully. Just when Kagome thought she was leaving, Kikyo suddenly spoke up. "I know I seem prying," she said slowly, as if internally debating whether to proceed with the question or not. "But I'm just curious. When did you…first meet Inuyasha?"

Kagome's heart jumped at the unexpected query. Why was Kikyo suddenly asking this? Kagome knew she could always not answer, but the mere idea that Kikyo was asking something this personal when she was not one to pry was unsettling. Was she starting to suspect?

"Kagome-chan!" Jakotsu suddenly popped his head into their classroom, making Kagome jump. He had this weird habit of appearing out of nowhere.

Kikyo, realizing Kagome had company, formally excused herself and went on her way, pausing by the door to give Jakotsu a curt nod before leaving.

Jakotsu pranced over to her. "Was I interrupting anything important?"

Kagome shook her head and collected her bag. "She just wanted me to give this to Inuyasha." She showed him Kikyo's little gift. "What are you doing here, Jakotsu?"

The cross-dressing English Club president stared at the gift for a moment, his expression unreadable, before turning back to Kagome with a wide smile. "I'm here to ask if you want to visit Inuyasha with me," he explained, striking a dramatic pose. "Like what I have been doing for three straight days already. Please say 'yes' this time, Kagome-chan! Inuyasha would be so happy to see you." He nudged Kagome a bit as he pointed at the gift in her hands. "And since Sanada-san asked you to give that to him, you have all the more reason to come see him, ne?"

Jakotsu suddenly clasped her hands, making Kagome sweat-drop. "Do this for LOVE, Kagome-chan!" he exclaimed, with matching tidal wave crashing in the background. Despite herself, Kagome could not help but blush. "If not for love, then for me, the great Fairy of LOVE!"

Jakotsu suddenly sighed melodramatically. "But I guess you still have to work at that noodle shop, right?" Kagome nodded mechanically. Jakotsu gracefully linked her arm into his and led her out of the classroom. "Fine, maybe another time," he mumbled with the finesse of a Shakespearean actor. "Let me just drop you off Kaede's place on my way to Inuyasha's then."

Kagome could not help but sweat-drop some more. It wasn't like Jakotsu to stop and give up just like that. He didn't even give her a chance to say anything! It was as if he was planning something, if the melodramatic speeches were some sort of indication.

"So how is Miroku and Sango?" She asked as they neared the school gates.

Jakotsu gave her a reassuring smile. "They're going to be fine," he replied. "Miroku cares very deeply for Sango, and I'm sure she feels the same way. They can work this out." Jakotsu looked at her meaningfully. "Because something like true love cannot easily be broken, especially when that love is meant to be." He gave Kagome a wink. Kagome could not help but smile in return. Jakotsu's disposition was contagious and she felt assured that her best friend and Miroku would indeed work this out somehow.

"Wait here, okay?" Jakotsu instructed when they were outside the school gates. "I'll get my car." As soon as Kagome nodded in response, he pranced off and disappeared down the corner to the school's parking area.

Kagome shifted her weight from one foot to the other, wondering why Jakotsu did not just lead her to his car to save him the trouble. But then, Jakotsu sometimes had a queer way of doing things so she did not think much of it.

Her eyes settled on the gift in her hands. Since she knew Jakotsu would not take this to Inuyasha, and since Miroku had problems to deal with, there was no alternative but for her to take this to Inuyasha herself. She took a deep breath. Maybe it was time she got over her fear. Even if it meant Inuyasha telling her that he blamed her for what had happened and that he never wanted to see her again, she _should_ go, just to have the chance to see him well. Because she did deserve his anger, after all…

Kagome swallowed hard. It was easy to think of doing that, but completely difficult to do. Her eyes settled on the gift once again. Inuyasha would be so happy to receive a gift from Kikyo. Maybe this was the sign she needed so she can finally overcome her guilt and apprehension to see Inuyasha.

A black limousine stopped in front of her. Kagome frowned. Jakotsu's car was a silver Audi, and he was certainly not lavish to bring along a limousine on a school day.

The window rolled down, revealing a man in dark shades and dark suit. "Kagome Higurashi?" he asked, his tone gruff.

Kagome cautiously took a step back. "Yes?"

In a quick flurry of movement, Kagome found herself being pulled into the vehicle against her will. Kicking and flailing her arms about, she was intent on giving hell to whoever it was who suddenly decided to kidnap her. Somebody clapped a hand on her mouth, which she took no time in biting. There were a few seconds of scuffling and a few profanities from the men in dark suits that she managed to hit before somebody cleared his throat, making them all freeze.

Who in the world would want to kidnap a poor girl like her?

Wait. What would somebody who _owned_ a _limousine_ want with a poor girl like her?

"Really, Kagome-chan," a familiar voice noted in amusement. "I didn't know you had so much fight in you."

Kagome stared at the person sitting a few feet away from her. "Eeh?!!"

* * *

Sweat flew as Sango finished her kata with a series of kicks and few punches in the air. Anger coursed through her veins and she wanted nothing more than to place a few good hits at a certain lingerie model and a perverted player. Her other teammates who were sparring nearby wisely stayed a good fifteen feet away, fully aware of the wrath that was just waiting to be unleashed by their vice-captain. 

And from (painful) experience, they knew how scary Sango was when she was angry or upset. It was like tangling with a pissed Saitou-sensei, who at one time wielded a katana in school and threatened to Aku-Soku-Zan() everyone for failing a math test before Himura-sensei intervened and restored calm and order.

Sango gritted her teeth, barely noticing the sweat trickling down her face or how her muscles were starting to ache from overexertion.

DAMN HIM!

Getting on her knees, Sango punched the matted floor with all her might.

How she hated him! She hated how his flattery made her blush. She hated how his smiles made her knees weak. She hated everything about him because he made her uncontrollably fall for him.

He who charmed the hearts of girls but did not care to catch them when they fall.

He who regarded girls as nothing but objects to be discarded when they lose their appeal.

He who was never content with just one girl.

How could she have been so stupid to fall for the likes of _him_?

_Flashback._

"I…I don't want that." Sango finished slowly.

She looked up at Miroku and saw the stunned and then hurt expression that flashed in his eyes. Before she could call his name, his cell phone unceremoniously rang, making them both jump. Fishing it out of his pocket, Miroku found Jakotsu's name dancing on the LCD screen.

"Yes, Jakotsu?" He grated on the phone.

Miroku's eyes widened as his cousin filled him in with the details. Uneasiness started seeping into Sango when she saw him turn anxious as he continued the phone conversation.

"I'm sorry I have to cut our date short," he apologized politely after ending the call, putting on a smile that seemed forced in Sango's eyes. He took a shaky breath. "Inuyasha's been stabbed. Jakotsu and Kagome are in the hospital."

As soon as she heard this, Sango gasped. "H-How did it happen?" she demanded. "Is Kagome all right?"

Miroku gave her an assuring smile. "Kagome-san is fine," he told her softly. "Jakotsu's pretty sketchy with the details but as far as I know, Inuyasha got stabbed after he protected Kagome from some street thugs. He's in critical condition as of the moment."

"Are you going to the hospital?" Sango asked as Miroku led her back to his car.

"I am," Miroku gave her another smile, but she could see the worry in his eyes. "After I take you home first. I did promise your father."

Sango stopped. "No," she responded firmly. "I'm coming with you." She flashed Miroku a grin. "Don't worry about chichi-ue. I'm sure he'll understand." Although seeing whether Kagome was okay was one of the reasons for her coming with him, it wasn't the only reason. Miroku had been there for her so now it was her turn to offer him some form of comfort and to ease his worries about his best friend's condition.

A smile flitted on Miroku's lips. "Sango?" he said tentatively.

Sango, who was just about to open the passenger door, turned around and realized he was standing in front of her, his arms at her sides, blocking her from any escape. "I'm not giving up yet," he whispered huskily, lowering his head down so it was just a few centimeters from hers. Sango could feel his warm breath on her cheek and was silently grateful she was leaning back on his car since her knees were threatening to buckle. "I'll prove to you that you're not just like any other girl to me. I'll make you see that I don't have any intention of hurting you…" he looked directly into her eyes, "because you're too important for me to lose."

It was only when he had pulled back that Sango noticed that she had been holding her breath. She swore she was blushing profusely and was thankful that it was too dark for him to notice. "L-let's go, Kanzaki," Sango mumbled hastily as she opened the passenger door.

_End of Flashback._

Hitting the hard mat with her fist once again, Sango took in deep ragged breaths. Miroku was a lying bastard. How dare he say all those things to her! How dare he make her believe that she was special to him! Tears started to prickle in her eyes.

"_And I believed him,"_ Sango thought bitterly. _"I knew that was too good to be true."_

Yes, she was angry at Miyu and even angrier at Miroku. But most of all, she was angry with herself for being so foolish as to fall in love with Miroku Kanzaki.

She looked up when she suddenly heard a commotion coming from outside the Taekwondo Club training hall. Looking around her, she noticed that almost everyone had gone outside to watch whatever it was that was going on. Jumping to her feet, she headed out to investigate.

* * *

Miroku took a deep breath as he headed towards the Taekwondo practice room. Jakotsu's peptalk with him at lunch was of little help, since his cousin mostly kept spouting mushy love quotes or vague fortune cookie-like passages instead of offering him any concrete and practical advice on how to deal with angry violent girls with a black belt in martial arts. 

He never had this much trouble with a girl before. A wry smile graced his lips. He didn't mind though. This girl was worth it. He was prepared to do everything in his power to straighten things out, even if he had to go to hell and back.

All he had to do was explain to Sango the circumstances behind that kiss; that it was not what it looked like. Miyu had blackmailed him, set him up to kiss her so in the end drive a wedge between him and Sango, and thus attain the ultimate revenge after being dumped by him. And with how things were going so far, it looks like Miyu was succeeding.

Miroku crossed his fingers and prayed to the gods that Sango would listen and give him a chance to explain. His hands felt cold and clammy. She _had_ to listen. She _must_ listen. He could not bear to lose the only girl who managed to steal his heart.

As he rounded the corner, he noticed a lone figure leaning on the wall by the entrance of the Taekwondo training area. It was Kuranosuke Takeda, the captain of the Taekwondo Club.

Kuranosuke looked at him from the corner of his eyes as Miroku drew closer. "What are you doing here, Kanzaki?" he asked, his voice cold and intimidating. He straightened up and blocked Miroku's way to the practice area.

"I have to talk to Sango," Miroku returned coolly. He stepped to the side with the intent of passing Kuranosuke, but the Taekwondo captain effectively moved in the same direction to block him.

"She doesn't want to see you," Kuranosuke replied curtly. "Leave, Kanzaki."Miroku looked undeterred. "I'll leave when she herself tells me to leave. And right after she hears my explanation." He tried to skirt pass him again, but Kuranosuke blocked his path once more.

"You've hurt her enough," Kuranosuke retorted, clenching his fists. "I'm not going to allow you to deceive her and hurt her even more. _Leave_." It was a firm command that was laced with threat.

A few of the practicing Taekwondo Club members were starting to look at them curiously through the half open sliding door.

Miroku stood his ground in defiance. "No," he answered evenly. "I see how much you care for Sango, but you have no grounds to make me leave." His voice hardened a notch. "Please let me pass so I can talk to Sango."

A split second later, Kuranosuke's fist sailed in and made contact with Miroku's jaw.

"You're damn right I care about her!" Kuranosuke spat out. He watched as Miroku stumbled backward slightly from the blow. "And I'm not going to just sit here and watch a _playboy_ like you play with her heart and hurt her in the end! Scum like you deserve to rot in hell!"

Miroku casually brushed away the bit of blood that slid down his lower lip. Understanding slowly dawned on his features. "You love her too, don't you?" He asked quietly, just audible for the two of them.

Kuranosuke did not reply and his expression remained unfazed, neither admitting nor denying Miroku's question. But the Taekwondo captain's coffee-colored orbs flickered a bit, and that was all that Miroku needed to answer his question.

"Believe me, Takeda-san, I have no intention of hurting Sango," Miroku continued sincerely. "I love her," he said simply, a small smile on his lips. "And I am here to make things right, because I don't know what I will do if I lose her."

"Don't give me that hypocritical crap!" Kuranosuke scoffed. "You say you have no intention of hurting her, but what did you do today? And what does a playboy like you know about love?" He sneered. "If I know any better, you're just after Sango because of the challenge. Because unlike half the girls around, _she_ doesn't worship the ground you stand." He roughly jabbed Miroku on the chest. "_You_ want to let everyone know you can have any girl you set your sights on. Admit it. _You're_ just after her _not_ because you truly love her but because she is a trophy you can brag later as one of the 'unattainable' girls you have managed to conquer."

Miroku's right hook squarely hit Kuranosuke's cheek. His dark blue orbs flared with anger

Kuranosuke thoughtfully rubbed the bruise on his cheek. "That's the truth, isn't it, Kanzaki?"

Miroku was silent for a moment. "No, it isn't, Takeda-san. It was never those reasons," he retorted, regaining his composure. He slowly straightened up. "But I am only human. I am also capable of falling in love. It was never the challenge; never to prove anything to anyone. It was simply because she was beautiful inside and out. It is hard not to fall for her."

"But I know she's too good for me. I do not deserve her." A sad, bitter smile graced Miroku's lips. "But I took the chance because I want her to look at me with the same fondness and flash me the same smile she once reserved only for _you_." Kuranosuke looked taken aback. "But you never acknowledged her feelings for you, not until you saw that I was getting too close to her." Miroku smiled wryly. "It was only when you noticed that someone else was interested in her did you realize your feelings for her…only to be disappointed that she no longer felt the same way and treated you now like an older brother." He gave Kuranosuke a pointed look. "Don't vent out your anger on me just because you missed your opportunity to be with her when you easily had the chance."

This seemed to infuriate Kuranosuke more. In one swift motion, he grabbed Miroku by the collar and violently pinned him against the wall.

"That's the truth, isn't it, Takeda-san?" Miroku echoed silently.

"What in the world is going on here?"

Miroku's heart skipped a beat. He knew that voice. It was Sango's.

It was only then that he realized that half of the Taekwondo club was gathered around them. Sango emerged from the crowd, her expression darkening when she saw what her teammates were ogling at.

Kuranosuke released his grip on Miroku's collar. He then closed his eye and sighed deeply.

"All right everyone, the shows over," the Taekwondo captain announced as he turned and faced his subordinates. He looked calm and collected, with no hint of the anger he had shown moments ago. "Break it up now and resume your training." It was a firm command that left no room for insubordination.

The Taekwondo club members quickly shuffled back into the training area and slid the door close behind them, leaving him, Miroku and Sango by the corridor.

"What are you doing here, Kanzaki?" Sango demanded quietly after a tense moment of silence.

Miroku skirted pass Kuranosuke to face Sango. "Please let me explain," he half-begged as Kuranosuke stood stoically in the background. "What you saw this morning wasn't what it seemed."

"There's nothing to explain, Kanzaki," Sango answered coldly. "What I saw was enough. You need not tell me the details."

"But you don't understand. Miyu—"

At the mention of the lingerie model's name, Sango's scowl deepened. "Wasn't it enough that you led me to believe you actually cared?!" she cut in, her voice rising. "Don't even try to explain yourself because I've had enough! I'm finally sober enough to stop believing in your lies!"

Miroku looked stricken. "Please Sango let me—"

"Leave Kanzaki!" Sango snapped. "I don't want to speak to you again!"

Miroku tried to reason. "But Sango—" He stopped short when tears started falling down Sango's cheeks. His heart twisted painfully. _He_ was the cause of those tears. Kuranosuke was right; he was truly a bastard who deserved to rot in hell a million times over.

"I b-believed you," Sango whispered, angrily brushing away the hot tears that spilled down her cheek. She sniffled. "I-I actually thought that you l-lov…" her voice died down and she released a soft snort. "I was so stupid. I thought you would treat me differently." A bitter smile flitted on her lips as she closed her eyes, making more tears fall. "B-but I guess that was too much to expect from the likes of you."

Miroku wanted to hold her tightly, to whisper to words to comfort her, to wipe away her tears…but he could not. Not when he himself was the cause of it. He took a step closer.

"Go away, Miroku," she told him softly.

This was one of the very rare times when she actually called him by his first name. It seemed bittersweet at this moment. He had always wanted her to call him by his first name, but not this way, not at this instance.

"Sango—"

"I said LEAVE!" Sango screamed. "What more do you want? Go away!"

Kuranosuke, who could no longer watch idly on the sidelines, put a comforting hand on her shoulder. Sango immediately clung to him and started sobbing on his chest, venting out all the pain she had kept to herself for the most part of the day. Kuranosuke looked down at her sadly before putting his arms around her in a gesture of comfort and doing small calming circles on her back.

Kuranosuke then looked over to Miroku, but his eyes no longer held disdain. He was wordlessly telling Miroku to leave. Sango needed some time to compose herself.

Casting the girl he loved a final glance, Miroku slowly turned around and walked away. He was thankful he did not encounter any student on his trek to the parking area. He did pass Makimachi-sensei, his PE teacher, who gave him a strange look when he greeted her glumly.

"Are you okay, Kanzaki-kun?" She questioned, frowning slightly.

He said he was and went on his way.

Miroku's thoughts were a jumbled mess and he was barely able to process that he had reached his car. From his reflection on the dark tinted windows, he suddenly realized why his PE teacher had looked at him strangely. A few tears had escaped his eyes unnoticed.

He had been crying.

* * *

Kagome wrung her hands together in silent apprehension as the limo entered the Takahashi gates. She looked at the person sitting across from her, whose purple eyes were calmly surveying the well-manicured gardens as the limousine cruised the Takahashi compound. 

Izayoi, who probably noticed her staring, gave her another wide grin. "I'm sorry about what happened earlier, Kagome-chan," she apologized for the third time. "But I was afraid you would refuse my invitation to visit Inuyasha given another circumstance."

"I-it's okay, Izayoi-san," Kagome replied timidly with a small smile, heat rising to her cheeks. The moment she realized it had all been Izayoi's men, she wanted to sink in quick sand from embarrassment. She had thrashed around so much she had given one bodyguard a black eye and another one a throbbing hand after she had bit it during the scuffle. "I should be the one who's sorry."

Izayoi gave a soft snort as she waved her had nonchalantly. "Don't worry about it," she answered. "Omino and Hatake will be fine. If I was in your position, I would have done the same thing." She looked thoughtful for a moment. "I guess it wasn't such a good idea to have ambushed you like that." She laughed lightly. "Shouldn't have taken Jakotsu-kun's twisted suggestion."

Kagome could only grin sheepishly as she stole a glance at the window. The limo just passed the intricate fountain located in front of the Takahashi mansion.

"You know," Izayoi looked at her meaningfully, "he may not admit it, but he misses you…_very much_." She calmly stared out the window as the limo calm to a gentle stop. "I don't know what happened that night, but I don't want to see Inuyasha brooding over a girl whom, ironically enough, he's too stubborn to admit he wants to see." The limo door opened. "So I took the liberty of bringing her to him." Izayoi gave Kagome a wink before elegantly stepping out.

If Kagome was embarrassed earlier, what Izayoi just said was enough to send all the blood in her body rushing to her face. Kagome would not be surprised if the entire Takahashi household felt the heat radiating in waves from her face. She was _that_ flustered.

But why?

Inuyasha was definitely not interested in her. That was for sure. He was way too hung up on Kikyo Sanada.

Izayoi had probably misunderstood. Kagome's grip on her school bag handle tightened. That's right. Inuyasha would never like her. She was nowhere near Kikyo's standards. She had even gotten him hurt. Hell would have to freeze over before Inuyasha would look at another girl the way he would at Kikyo. Heck, the earth would have to be in the center of the universe before she would even catch his eye.

Her chest ached.

Why did Inuyasha and Kikyo affect her this much? A month ago, she would not have given a damn about their relationship. Why did it hurt to think about them together now? She could still remember the time when she was prepared to give everything away just to get them back together to have her uncomplicated life back.

Kagome swallowed thickly. Realization washed over her.

Maybe that was why she easily blushed whenever anyone mentioned his name these days.

In the span of one month she had seen the side of him that few people had the privilege of seeing. In their pseudo-relationship, she had seen the real Inuyasha behind the obnoxious, loud-mouthed, arrogant exterior. The real Inuyasha had a heart as golden as his eyes.

Maybe that was why she was so afraid to see him. She was afraid of his rejection because while pretending to be his girlfriend, something unexpected had happened.

It was so simple Kagome was tempted to laugh. Four weeks ago, the idea seemed ludicrous, bordering on the impossible.

But this was the obvious truth she had tried to deny for so long.

She had fallen for Inuyasha Takahashi.

"Kagome?"

The blue-eyed girl blinked from her stupor and looked up. Izayoi was patiently waiting for her to step out of the limo.

Kagome took a deep breath and got out of the vehicle, her school bag clutched tightly in one hand while Kikyo's beautiful gift was held gingerly on the other.

"Ah, Kagome-sama," Toutousai, the Takahashis' head butler, greeted with a bow as she and Izayoi reached the top steps of the mansion. The massive hard wood doors opened and the elderly butler escorted them to the vast, elegantly bedecked interior of the Takahashi mansion. "So good to see you again."

Kagome smiled tightly. Her heart was pounding. She wanted to see him but would he want to see her? Kagome closed her eyes painfully as she let off a soft, inaudible snort. It wouldn't matter. Even with her epiphany, it did not change anything. She didn't belong to Inuyasha; his heart already belonged to someone far better than her. Her eyes traveled to the cream-colored gift in her hand.

Regardless, she had to give this to him. She did, after all, promise that she would help him and Kikyo get back together.

Her musings were interrupted when Izayoi hastily excused herself to answer her phone. It didn't escape Kagome that the amethyst-eyed lady had winked conspiratorially at the butler's direction.

"This way please," Toutousai told her, gesturing that she follow him.

She took a shaky breath and walked after him. Inuyasha would never know how she felt. What good will it do? He didn't need any more complications coming from her.

It was only then that Kagome realized another awful truth.

Unrequited love sucks.

* * *

"So?" 

"So what?" Inuyasha retorted irritably. He was sitting Indian-style on his bedroom's marble balcony. He was trying to meditate when Jakotsu barged in. "Don't you have somewhere else to go? Dating Games to organize? Tutus to wear?"

Jakotsu grinned in amusement. "But I just got here." He leaned on the marble railing and watched Inuyasha from the corner of his eye.

He noticed the hanyou's ears twitch in annoyance. Jakotsu knew Inuyasha didn't like to be stared at when he was in his brooding mood.

"Is there something on my face?" Inuyasha asked sourly, a tic visible at his left eye.

"Kagome's absent from work today, did you know?" Jakotsu started brightly.

He immediately noticed the hanyou tense at the mention of her name. "And that concerns me why?" Inuyasha countered nonchalantly, closing his eyes.

"Aren't you concerned?" Jakotsu queried teasingly. "She could be sick…or maybe some guy took her out on a date." He smiled when a frown graced Inuyasha's face. "Maybe Kouga asked her out."

Inuyasha's eyes snapped open. "Are you trying to make me jealous?"

Jakotsu smiled sweetly. "Are you?"

A throbbing vein was clearly visible on Inuyasha's forehead, showing his intense irritation. "Hell no!" He growled. "Why the heck should I be jealous? If she were Kikyo then maybe I would be! She's loud, violent and annoying. That wolf can have her for all I care!" He crossed his arms on his chest.

Jakotsu looked taken aback. Why did he have to bring Kikyo's name up?

"But if you didn't care, why did you protect her that night?"

Inuyasha turned away, most of his face effectively hidden by his silver hair, making it hard for Jakotsu to see his expression. "I had no choice!" Inuyasha snapped. "She had stormed off all by herself. Sango would have killed me if I left the wench alone! I swear that girl attracts trouble a mile away."

"You don't miss her at all?"

Inuyasha glared at him. "I don't see how that's any of your business."

"So you do!" Jakotsu looked at him gleefully.

Inuyasha snorted. "Like a hole in the head!" He replied acidly. "Why would I want to see the person who's partly responsible for my injury?" He looked away as a soft breeze carried strands of his silver locks to his face. "I don't miss her at all," he continued more sedately, as if convincing himself as much as he was trying to convince Jakotsu. "Not…not at all."

A soft knock interrupted their conversation. The two boys looked up to see Kagome standing by the doorway.

Inuyasha's golden orbs widened. "Kagome…"

* * *

Kagome's throat felt dry as dread seeped into her with every step she took. Stopping at the familiar wooden door at the end of the hallway, Kagome watched as Toutousai raised a gloved hand to knock. This was it, the moment of truth. 

The butler's hand stopped midway as the door opened slightly. Somebody had left it open. It didn't take Kagome long to figure who that somebody was.

"So you do!" A voice chirped from inside Inuyasha's room.

Kagome could not help but smile a little. She immediately recognized Jakotsu's voice. It was amazing how quickly he could pop up unexpected at places. He even arrived at the Takahashi mansion before she did.

She heard Inuyasha snort. "Like a hole in the head!" She heard him mutter bitingly. "Why would I want to see the person who's partly responsible for my injury?"

They were talking about her. Kagome bit her lip as her chest constricted to a point where she could barely breathe. So her fears were true. He _was_ angry with her. With downcast eyes, she eyed Kikyo's gift in her hands.

"I don't miss her at all," she heard Inuyasha continue.

Kagome closed her eyes tightly, and just managed to miss the sympathetic look Toutousai had thrown at her direction.

"Not…not at all." Inuyasha said so softly that Kagome had almost not heard it.

Taking a shaky breath and putting on mask of cheerfulness, she turned to Toutousai and nodded. The butler hesitated for a moment before rapping on the door. Kagome then gave him a small smile, which the butler returned kindly. Unconsciously tightening her grip on the petite gift she was holding, Kagome pushed the door open and stepped inside.

"Kagome…"

Blue met gold.

Kagome's heart skipped a beat. He was even more beautiful, more regal than she remembered. Perched on the marble balcony in his white muscle shirt and red pajamas, Inuyasha was breathtaking. Kagome felt her cheeks redden, images of the accidental kiss during the Dating Game flitting in her mind.

She felt an overwhelming urge to run to him, to fuss over him and scold him for making her worry, to hug him…but she didn't. But her eyes never left his, her blue depths betraying emotions she could never say.

"_Why would I want to see the person who's partly responsible for my injury?"_

Kagome swallowed painfully as Inuyasha's words echoed in her head. She broke their eye contact and acknowledged the other person in the room.

"Jakotsu, you're here," she greeted, putting on an amused smile.

The self-proclaimed Fairy of Love jumped off the balcony railing. "Oh, don't mind me, Kagome-chan," he answered, winking at Inuyasha's direction. "I was just about to leave actually."

"Didn't you say you just got here?" Inuyasha mumbled dryly.

Jakotsu gaily pranced toward the door. "I suddenly remembered that I forgot to feed my goldfish," he reasoned out dramatically.

"You don't even own a damn aquarium," Inuyasha groused.

Jakotsu pretended not to have heard what he said and gave Kagome a light nudge towards Inuyasha's direction. "Well, I know you two have lot to talk about so don't let me keep you." He then hastily shut the door behind him, his delighted grin not going unnoticed to the hanyou's sharp eyes.

With Jakotsu's departure, the atmosphere suddenly felt stifling. Kagome stared at her shoes, half wishing that she had not come. The awkward silence between them was unbearable. She decided to break the ice.

She looked up and looked at Inuyasha softly. "I'm glad to see you're okay," she said sincerely.

"I've been better," Inuyasha muttered quietly, looking away.

Feeling that her presence was not wanted, Kagome decided to get things over and done with. Walking over to him at the balcony, she carefully held out Kikyo's gift to him. He looked at her quizzically.

"Kikyo asked me to give this to you," she explained gently, just barely swallowing the painful lump on her throat. "It's her get well gift."

She watched as Inuyasha's face registered on a look of surprise as he took the gift from her hands.

"I'm sorry she couldn't give it to you herself. I know you would have wanted that," Kagome continued, eyes downcast. "I also apologize that I don't have any get well gifts for you...you already have everything and I don't know if what I would give you would be good enough." She shifted her weight on her feet. "I'm also sorry I got you hurt—"

"Kagome…"

She shook her head, a silent plea that he let her continue. "I'm sorry I was such an idiot, deciding to leave alone that late. Maybe if I kept my cool you wouldn't have—"

"Stop, Kagome."

"And most of all, I'm sorry I didn't come visit you sooner." She took on a shaky breath. "I-I had wanted to…but I—" she swallowed thickly, "I was too scared." She blinked back the tears and willed every ounce of her self control to stop herself from shedding any. "I was afraid you'd blame me for what happened and that you'd be angry with me." She looked up and smiled painfully. "Which is understandable…"

He looked stunned.

Kagome stole a glance at her watch. "Oh, look at the time!" She exclaimed, putting on a cheery façade. "Kaede-obaasan is going to kill me." She moved to leave but at the last minute, as if having second thoughts, she suddenly turned back to him and gave him a hug.

Burying her head in his chest, she closed her eyes.

"I really am glad that you're okay," she whispered, relishing the moment. This was the closest she ever got to him and will probably be the only time. Her heart was pounding, expecting him to push her away but he didn't. His arms however, remained still at his sides, not returning the hug. For a brief moment, Kagome let herself relax. She could hold him; he was alive and well, and that was all that mattered.

Releasing him, she quickly stepped back. "I'm sorry for the interruption," she added hastily. "I'll see you in school soon." And with that, she left hurriedly, not waiting anymore for his response. She knew what he was going to say and she did not want to hear it.

Racing down the steps of the grand staircase, she gave quick smile to the butler who opened the front door for her. To her relief, Jakotsu was just about to leave.

"Can I hitch a ride?" She asked, ignoring his shocked expression at seeing her so soon.

* * *

Inuyasha could still not believe it. 

Her reason for not seeing him was not what he originally believed. It wasn't because he was a hanyou. It was because she felt too guilty and scared that he might hate her for what had occurred almost a week ago.

More importantly, she had hugged him.

He could still smell her scent. It was soft and sweet, like a combination of roses and magnolias. He was about to put his hands around her when she had pulled away. The hug, which barely lasted five seconds, left him aching for more. He felt the overwhelming desire to feel her and hold her close.

Why did she just leave like that?

"You're a moron, you know that?"

Inuyasha looked up to see Toutousai lazily leaning on the post of his four-poster bed. He was in stupor that he had not even noticed the butler come in.

Inuyasha's temper flared. "Do you know insulting your master can get you fired, jijii?" He growled.

Toutousai snorted, aware Inuyasha's bark was worse than his bite. "Kagome-san just left with Jakotsu, you know."

"What?" Inuyasha looked at him, completely oblivious. "Why?"

The butler eyed him in annoyance. "Your door was half-open when she got here. She heard everything you said to Jakotsu, you idiot."

Inuyasha's golden eyes widened. "Oh, shit."

"That's what you get for being such a denial king," the butler continued dryly. "If you like her so much, why don't you just admit it to everyone and save us all a lot of trouble?"

Inuyasha's face went redder than a tomato. "Shut up, jijii!"

Toutousai idly looked to his side. "She came all the way here to see you and you can't even be civil to her." He clicked his tongue. "I'm disappointed, Inuyasha. After all that sulking and moping around when she didn't visit." He looked back at the balcony to see that Inuyasha had disappeared.

The old butler smiled genially. _"That it, Inuyasha. Go to her."_

It was then that he noticed the small cream-colored gift that lay forgotten on the marble balcony railing.

* * *

After telling her mother that she was going to skip dinner because Sango treated her to one (which was a complete lie, of course), Kagome headed to her room, feeling completely worn out. Today was a long day. She was thankful that Jakotsu had not said anything when he took her home. She didn't feel like talking to anyone at the moment. 

Opening her bedroom door, she gave a loud, tired sigh and dropped her bag unceremoniously on the floor.

"Took you long enough to get here."

Kagome nearly jumped out of her skin and gave a surprised squeak. Her bedroom window was open and Inuyasha was sprawled on her bed, looking completely at home.

The hanyou sat up. "My closet is even bigger than this," he started in greeting. "How can you sleep in such a small place?"

"What are you doing here?" Kagome queried, ignoring his remarks. She was still reeling from the astonishment of seeing him in her room.

Inuyasha jumped from her bed. "I need to talk to you," he replied. "You're not scared of heights, are you?"

Kagome frowned. "Not particularly. Why?" She looked puzzled.

"Good." Inuyasha lowered himself and gestured to his back. "Get on."

Kagome blinked. "What?"

"Get on my back," Inuyasha clarified, sounding slightly annoyed at her slow pick-up. "We're going outside to talk. You're room's making me claustrophobic." Seeing Kagome's hesitance, he added, "I'm not going to kidnap you. Heck, we're not even leaving the shrine grounds."

Unsure what he was getting at, Kagome did as she was told. She soon felt the cold evening breeze on her face as Inuyasha jumped outside the window. It was a short trip, taking just a few jumps from the hanyou, before they reached the Goshinbuko tree at the far end of the shrine grounds. Inuyasha carefully lowered her down a thick, sturdy branch. Seeing she wasn't exceptionally nimble on the tree limb, Inuyasha positioned her so she was sitting between his legs, her back resting on his chest. With him securely around her, she knew it was impossible for her to fall off.

A soft evening breeze blew, making Kagome shiver. Inuyasha, noticing this, slowly slipped his arms around her into a gentle hug.

"I don't hate you," Inuyasha mumbled, pulling her closer so she was leaning back on his chest.

Kagome was thankful that it was dark so he could not see her blush. The iridescent light of the crescent moon and the flickering light of fireflies made the setting feel like a scene from a romance novel. His body warmth was comforting, but at the same time it was making Kagome's stomach do flipflops. In their position, she felt like they were couple sharing an intimate moment.

Inuyasha looked at her, finding it cute to see her flustered. His eyesight was sharp enough to detect the smattering of red on her cheeks. "I just realized you overheard what I said to Jakotsu," he continued, admiring how her pale skin seemed to glow in the moonlight. She was indeed very beautiful. "I didn't mean that. It's just that I don't like it when people ask me about stuff that is purely none of their business."

He closed his eyes and enjoyed her sweet scent. It was addicting and he was sure he was never going to get enough of it. "And I'm sorry too," he added softly. "For being a complete ass during your date with Hobo—"

"Hojo," Kagome corrected automatically.

"Yeah, with him," Inuyasha chuckled, his warm breath tickling Kagome's cheek. "I could never get his name right…But I'm also sorry I doubted you." He tightened his hold on her. "I thought you didn't come to see me because you knew my secret…because I was a hanyou."

Kagome stiffened. "I wouldn't—"

"I know. I know that now," Inuyasha responded, cutting her off gently. "Anything I can do to make it up to you?"

"You don't really have to," Kagome answered, her earlier tension ebbing away as she slowly relaxed in his arms. Her spirits were lifted when she found out he was not upset with her. "You're okay. That's what counts."

"But I insist," Inuyasha asserted.

Kagome thought for a moment. "Well, there is one thing you can do," she admitted. Looking up at him, she felt her breath hitch in her throat. The glow of the fireflies reflected in his golden orbs. He was simply gorgeous in the pale moonlight. "You c-could…"

"I could?" Inuyasha prompted, amused at her embarrassment. He was just starting to notice how flustered she got when she looked at him. He found it adorable.

"Remember the tickets I won to Kaze no Kizu?" Kagome asked timidly. Inuyasha nodded. "T-this Saturday, could you go with—"

"Are you asking me out on a date?" He furrowed his brows.

Kagome bowed her head. "No!" She denied hotly. "Of course not. Just a simple outing between two friends."

Friends. That's what they were, right? That's the only thing they could ever be. But a part of Inuyasha begged to disagree. He immediately stomped that part out. He loved Kikyo. He liked Kagome very much, but like was far different from love…right?

"I understand if you don't want to though," Kagome replied quietly, cutting his thoughts.

"Don't be silly," Inuyasha responded, lifting her chin. "Of course I'll go with you. I was just imagining all those poor people who will go deaf at your screams while you enjoy the rides there."

Kagome giggled and hit him lightly on the arm.

"Oh, and Kagome?"

"Yes?" Kagome inquired.

"You're the best get well gift I ever got."

* * *

**Next on 'The Substitute':**

**Kohaku:** _::dressed in a lab gown::_ Ahaha! We finally found it! The cure for the common cold::_holds up a test tube with sticky, questionable-looking brown liquid::_

**Souta:** _::dressed in similar mad scientist attire::_ Ah yes! The experiment was a complete success! And it only involved wasabe, miasma, Shikon fragments, pelt from a baboon costume and Kirara's fur!

_::The two cackle some more and turn to their guinea pig who is bound to a chair::_

**Sailor Helios:** _::cowers::_ Eep! Don't let me drink that! What did I ever do to you two?

**Souta:** You didn't update for more than a year! _::thunder crashes in the background and eerie organ music starts to play:: _Therefore, as punishment based on an unreliable and completely fictional online poll we conducted, you will be the first to try our experiment.

_::Sango stomps into the stage holding Kirara, who has bald patches all over::_

**Sango:** So it was you brats who did this to Kirara! _::whips out Hiraikotsu::_ Prepare to taste my wrath! _::she gives chase::_

**Sailor Helios:** _::sweat-drops and turns to audience::_ While Sango delivers retribution to those who violated her pet, was the story okay? Boring? Predictable? Did it stink? Oh, Aku-Soku-Zan is from the Shinsengumi. It roughly translates to "Kill Evil Instantly."

**Kohaku:** _::whips out a piece of paper while running around:: _Next on The Substitute: an amusement park date, the truth leaks out, waiting in the rain and second chances. Love is indeed a many splendored thing. Not! _::gets tackled by Sango::_ Oof!

**Sailor Helios: **_::magically breaks free from ropes and quietly scoots off::_ Until the next chapter everyone!


	19. Resilience

Um, hello. _::Waves uncertainly and watches as readers with pitchforks and guillotines march closer.:: _Eep.

Please forgive this humble authoress for her long delay in updating. I originally meant this as a two-chapter update but since I have already finished this two months ago and chapter 20 is only about 30 complete and currently not on my list of priorities, it seemed unfair that I keep you readers waiting. If you want to know the whole winding reason why I was not able to update for so long, just check my bio.

Anyways, I hope you enjoy this chapter. A shout out goes to _**hikozaru **_(here you go, I finally updated, yay!), _**souloist **_(thanks for your kind PM; I truly appreciate your understanding!) and, of course, _**sky-lotus **_(who took the time to beta read this chappie and cheer me on). And to everyone else who reviewed and PMed me, arigato gozaimasu.

So without further ado, here's the next chapter. Hope you enjoy it!

_**Previously on The Substitute: **_Kagome, feeling guilty, blames herself for Inuyasha getting hurt and avoids visiting him, despite Sango and Jakotsu's persistence. Miyu, with the help of Naraku, gets her revenge on Miroku by causing a rift between him and Sango. Miroku, desperate to explain what really went on, gets into a confrontation with Kuranosuke, captain of the Taekwondo Club. Sango tells Miroku never to speak to her again. Kagome, after being "kidnapped" by Izayoi, sees Inuyasha again and the two become closer. Kikyo, on the other hand, is starting to get suspicious. Looks like a storm's brewing…

_**Disclaimer: **_I don't own Inuyasha. It belongs to the one and only Rumiko Takahashi.

**The Substitute  
****Chapter 19  
**'_**Resilience'**_

Miroku leaned on the hood of his silver Jaguar, his dark blue orbs surveying the students that filed into the campus. Stealing a glance at the school clock, he noted that it was ten minutes more before the bell rang. Crossing his hands on his chest, he impatiently drummed his fingers on his arm. Where was she? She should be around by now.

His heart stopped when he saw her enter the school gates. Sango had just bid goodbye to her father and was now briskly walking towards the main building, intent on getting to class on time. She was alone, without Kagome or her Taekwondo teammates accompanying her.

"Sango, wait!" Miroku called out as he chased after her.

Sango did not seem to hear him as she quickened her pace. Miroku gritted his teeth in frustration and half-walked, half-ran towards her. The few students who were hurrying to their classes started to stare at the scene unfolding at the campus entrance.

"Sango, listen to me! Please!" Miroku half-begged as he reached her. He reached out for her wrist and held it firmly, effectively stopping her on her tracks. Sango tried to yank her arm away but Miroku had not intention of letting her go until she heard what he had to say. "Don't be like this, Sango," he told her softly, trying to make eye contact with her but she defiantly looked away. "Give me a chance to explain what happened two days ago."

"Let go of me, _Kanzaki_," Sango responded coldly, her voice not even disguising her contempt as she spat out his surname.

Miroku stubbornly held her wrist. "I had no choice back then, Sango," he explained. He desperately needed her to listen. "Miyu trapped me in a corner and forced me to make a hard decision. She then offered me a way out, and I blindly took it, having had no other option. I don't love her, Sango. That kiss did not mean anything. I--"

A resounding slap echoed at the Shikon Gakuen entrance. Everything became eerily still and quiet. Even the students who were ogling at them could not believe it.

Stunned, Miroku released Sango's wrist. He numbly raised a hand and touched his stinging cheek, his blue eyes wide with surprise.

"Liar!" Sango responded angrily. Her hazel brown eyes met his, and for a split second Miroku saw the raw pain and hurt in her brown depths before they were quickly replaced with another emotion: loathing. "I don't believe that you didn't have a choice because from what I saw, I could have sworn you were enjoying every second of it." Her eyes narrowed. "So go do yourself a favor and find yourself another girl who will fall for your cheap lies and fake promises, because it won't work on me." Miroku noticed how her brown eyes have suddenly become glassy but she blinked back the tears. He knew her pride would not let her shed any in front of him or the other students. "Not anymore, Kanzaki."

And with that, she turned and walked away, leaving onlookers shocked.

Miroku took a shaky breath. He watched helplessly as Sango's figure slowly got smaller and smaller as the distance between them increased. Determined not to let her go, he moved to go after her when a voice behind him stopped him from taking a step.

"You don't know when to quit, do you?" Kuranosuke commented quietly.

Miroku clenched his fists but said nothing. A scowl appeared on his face as he felt the older boy walk over to him.

Kuranosuke stopped and stood less than a foot behind him. If he got any closer, Miroku swore he would probably feel him breathing down his neck, literally.

"Sango does not want to talk to you, can't you see that?" Kuranosuke continued, his voice cool and collected. "You've hurt her enough, Kanzaki. Take the hint and leave her alone."

Miroku's jaw tightened. "Is that a threat, Takeda-san?" He asked coolly.

Kuranosuke snorted. "No," he closed his eyes calmly and took a step, so he was side by side with Miroku. He looked down at Miroku from the corner of his eyes. "There's a difference between being persistent and being a pest, Kanzaki. Sango clearly loathes you, and for a good reason, too."

"You don't know the entire story, Takeda-san," Miroku retorted. "I suggest you do not drop to conclusions or act like you know everything."

Kuranosuke casually slung his bag over his shoulder. "That may be the case," he replied, looking straight ahead, "but as far as I can see, you're being selfish."

Miroku's eyes widened and he felt the overwhelming urge to hit the Taekwondo captain squarely in the face.

If Kuranosuke sensed Miroku's growing agitation, he simply ignored it. "If you do love her as you say you do, then why don't you respect her wishes?" He then continued on his pace towards school. "Because if you truly love her, then you must know when to set her free."

Miroku swallowed thickly as Kuranosuke walked away. He suddenly felt numb and cold. Even the stinging on his cheek had subsided, leaving only a feeling of emptiness. With downcast eyes, he cupped his injured cheek.

Was he really being selfish?

The school bell suddenly rang. But Miroku barely noticed, until a gust of cold wind blew his way. Blinking out of his stupor, he trudged towards the school gates and left the campus, lost in thought.

He never noticed the pair of glassy brown eyes that silently watched him from a classroom window.

* * *

Kagome bit her lower lip as she looked at her best friend, who was quietly eating. Sango looked fine and acted like nothing out of the usual had happened in the past few days, but Kagome knew better. Sango's eyes gave her away. Her brown eyes, usually full of life, now looked dull and melancholic.

Kagome tucked a stray lock of hair as a light breeze blew. They were at the school rooftop, occupying the only bench there, eating lunch in companionable silence. It had been Sango's suggestion that they eat here. Kagome had a feeling it was to avoid a certain perverted playboy.

Kagome pushed the squid shaped sausage around her bento box. "Miroku has been trying to talk to you," she began. She knew this topic was inevitable, so she decided to get straight to the point. She glanced at her best friend and saw the Taekwondo girl scowl at the mention of the playboy's name. "Why won't you talk to him, Sango?"

The chopsticks Sango held suddenly snap in half, making Kagome fidget.

"Look Kagome," Sango started, her voice slightly strained from her contained anger. "Frankly, I have no intention of talking to Kanzaki ever again. In fact," she turned to face her best friend, a proud smile on her lips, "I'm glad that I finally saw the bastard that he is before--" Sango swallowed painfully, her mask of confidence threatening to crack but she quickly regained control, "before I completely fell head over heels for him."

Kagome gazed at Sango sadly. _"But you already did, Sango,"_ she thought.

Sango took a bite of her stuffed shrimp. "It was a good thing he decided to skip school," Sango continued, trying to look indifferent. "I can't even stand being on the same room with him. I don't even know what his lousy fan club sees in a jerk like him at all."

Kagome stared at her lunch, her chest aching. It was upsetting to see her best friend pretend like nothing was wrong when she was clearly hurting inside.

"Miroku told me and Jakotsu what happened," Kagome responded. "He told us the reason why he kissed Miyu. I think he's telling the truth, Sango. Maybe you should give him a chance to--"

Sango's upbeat disposition quickly changed. "Why would you believe someone like him, Kagome?" She replied, her voice rising unconsciously from her pent up anger. "A playboy like him could lie perfectly through his teeth. He can manipulate anyone just to get what he wants. He probably made up some sorry story just to get your sympathy."

Kagome remained silent and stared at her half-eaten lunch. Sango's reason was perfectly logical. Miroku did have a less than sterling background.

She looked over to Sango, who was sipping iced tea with a slight frown. "But Sango," she countered softly, remembering Miroku's devastated look right after Sango saw him kiss Miyu, "isn't it also possible that he is only trying to clear things up because he has truly fallen in love with you?"

Sango lowered her drink and gave a skeptical snort. "Playboys like him don't fall in love, Kagome," she answered bitterly.

Kagome decided not to pursue the topic further.

* * *

_Miroku stifled a delighted snicker. He finally did it!_

_Staring at his class schedule, he smirked. After much coercion and bribing, he had managed to persuade the school registrar to transfer him to the same section Sango was in. Of course, by transferring classes, somebody originally from Sango's section had to swap places with him._

_He wasn't even sure who the person he traded sections with was. What was his surname again? Hizashi, right? Or was it Hamada? Miroku scratched his cheek thoughtfully. Come to think of it, he wasn't even sure if the person he had swapped schedules with was a boy or girl._

_What the heck. He shrugged. Small sacrifices must be made, and Miroku was sure the person he traded sections with won't mind at all. That person would probably be star struck that he (or she) would be classmates with two of the most popular people in campus, not to mention the school's hottest couple: Inuyasha and Kikyo._

_After easing his conscience over the whole section-swapping thing, he folded his schedule and tucked it carefully into his uniform's coat pocket. Oh yeah, eleventh grade was going to be a blast!_

_Rounding the corner, he realized that he was just a few meters away from his room. Around him, the corridors were already empty since most students had filed into their respective classrooms since classes would begin in less than five minutes._

_Miroku felt his hands grow cold and clammy. For the first time, he was actually nervous of starting a conversation with a girl. He snorted. He was being silly. He was _the _Miroku Kanzaki, after all, and he could easily charm any girl to do his bidding. He could charm this girl easy…At least he hoped he could. But she was different. From observing Sango from afar during tenth grade, he had realized that she was not like the rest of the generic swooning female population._

_Miroku wracked his brain for a good pick up line. He had to make a good first impression. _

_Coming up with a blank, he mentally hit himself. _"You're pathetic, Kanzaki," _he berated himself as he slid the classroom door open._

_The students immediately fell into hushed murmurs as Miroku scanned the classroom with concealed anticipation. His heart sank. Sango was not around yet._

_But before Miroku could ponder on that further, two girls glomped into his arms. He failed to take note that this was also the section where the president and vice-president of his fan club was in. He mentally swore. _

_"Miroku-sama!!!" They squealed, shattering his eardrums. "You're in our class! We're so lucky!" They shrieked in perfect unison, making him wonder if they rehearsed this a million times before._

_"Sasaki-san, Tanaka-san," he returned politely, putting on a sunny smile. "So nice to see the two of you. Can you two ladies let go now? I need to get to my seat before the bell rings."_

_"Of course!" Yuhi Sasaki, President of the 'We Luv Miroku-sama Fan Club,' replied enthusiastically. She and Aiko Tanaka released their hold on him and pointed to an empty seat at the front row. It didn't take a genius to know that the occupants on either side of that desk were the two girls. Miroku may be polite, but he was not a masochist to endure one year seated in between two rabid fan girls._

_He was about to turn down their offer when the door violently slid open. _

_"Who's the jerk who changed schedules with my friend?!" Somebody demanded. Miroku's heart skipped a beat. He turned around to see Sango by the doorway, looking ready to maim the first person who showed even the tiniest signs of guilt. "When I find out who that creep is, there will be hell to pay!"_

_The class became eerily quiet, with the only sound heard being the chirping of crickets. Even Miroku's fan girls cringed back in fear._

_Miroku himself adjusted his collar as he gulped nervously. Of all the students he had to switch with, he just had to pick Sango's friend…So much for getting on her good side. At least she did not know he was responsible for that, and he prayed to all the Shinto gods that she never will._

_Huffing, Sango stomped into the classroom toward the vacant seat by the windows. She did not even steal a second glace at Miroku when she walked past him._

_Miroku was about to follow her when a folded piece of paper fell from Sango's skirt pocket. He immediately picked it up and briskly walked after her._

_"Miyabe-san," he called out, "you dropped your schedu--"_

_The entire class, which had once again erupted into quiet chatter as they settled down after Sango's tirade, immediately fell silent. All eyes focused on the pain in front._

_Miroku honestly did not mean for this to happen. Really. All he wanted to do was reach out for Sango's free hand to give her back the class schedule she dropped. But his traitorous hand, which seemed to have a mind of its own, aimed for another part of Sango's anatomy._

_"Please remove your hand from my butt." Sango's voice was dangerously calm._

_Miroku, whose brain cells had ceased to function with how surreal the situation he was in, gave her derriere a tentative squeeze. Okay, so he was definitely not dreaming._

_He was really holding Sango's butt._

_In front of the class._

_\On the first day of school._

_Miroku gulped. He was so going to die a very painful death._

_Faster than you can say "dead meat," Sango whirled around, eyes turning into red slits, and gave him an uppercut, sending him flying to the teacher's table._

_"PERVERT!!!" she screamed, breathing heavily. The smoke cleared, revealing Miroku swirly-eyed at the middle of the hardwood table, which had cleanly broken in half. "Don't you ever come near me again, you hear?!"_

_"It's only the first day of school and you have already broken a fine piece of furniture. Tsk, you're worse than Weasel Girl and Rooster Head."_

_The whole class, including Miroku, who had recovered miraculously, turned to the door to see Saito-sensei leaning by the doorframe, casually smoking a cigarette (never mind the fact that smoking in the campus was strictly prohibited)._

_"But sensei, he started it!" Sango said defensively, pointing at Miroku's general direction._

_The Math teacher carelessly flicked his cigarette away and calmly strolled inside the classroom. "Really now?" he responded, his voice lacking interest and inflection._

_Thirty seconds later, Miroku and Sango found themselves standing on the hallway, holding a bucketful of water in each hand._

_"This is all your fault," Sango muttered crossly. "No thanks to you, I'm being punished and forced to stand here all period with a perverted player as company."_

_Miroku gave her a small smile. "I don't mind at all."_

_Sango glared at him for a moment before looking away with a huff. Miroku could have sworn she had mumbled something along the lines of "skewer," "pervert," and "piranhas."_

Miroku sighed and opened his eyes. He was instantly greeted by blinding sunlight and strong wind. Pushing the memories off his mind, Miroku stared at the few cumulonimbus clouds drifting above. He was at the Kanzaki Telecommunications building, in the middle of an empty helipad, musing and reminiscing since midmorning.

Miroku stretched his right arm and stared at his hand, which he had gripped Sango's wrist with. He loosely clenched and unclenched it. _"She has such small wrists for a martial arts girl,"_ he thought, a small amused smile on his lips.

Diverting his gaze back to the sky, he noticed that dark gray rain clouds have started to gather at the horizon. It was probably going to rain tonight.

A sudden rustling of clothing and footsteps interrupted his train of thought.

A shadow fell over him. Miroku looked over his head, to see, upside down, the President and CEO of Kanzaki Telecommunications staring at him with mild amusement.

Yusuke Kanzaki looked like an older version of Miroku. He had the same charming smile, the same dimple, the same raven hair. But what differentiated father from son were their eyes. Yusuke had gray eyes unlike Miroku's dark blue ones, the one attribute that he inherited from his mother.

"You do know a chopper is going to land here in an hour, don't you?" Yusuke quipped, sitting down beside him.

Miroku grunted lightly in acknowledgement. Yusuke knew his son was not in the mood to talk. But it was not as if a minor complication like that was going to stop Yusuke from tormenting him.

"So you're not worried that a helicopter will land right on you and squash you to kingdom come?" Yusuke feigned a look of utter horror. "Oh, what will your poor fan girls do without you? Who will they worship and adore with you gone?"

"Jakotsu," Miroku replied simply. "He could teach them a few handy ballet moves, too."

Yusuke burst out laughing. He then sobered up and swirled the glass of martini in his hand, admiring as the sunlight glinted through the clear liquid.

"You know," the older Kanzaki started, "it's been three years since I last saw you mope up here, on a school day too, I might add." He looked at his son meaningfully. "Your mother is going to kill me if she knew you missed school."

Miroku remained quiet.

Yusuke took a sip of his martini. "I'm guessing you're up here because you're hiding from someone. That someone being a girl." He looked at Miroku from the corner of his eye and saw his eyes flash with an unknown emotion. Yusuke swirled his drink once more. "This girl seems to be one of the few girls on the planet who could resist your charms. You've fallen hard for this girl. However, after a series of unfortunate events involving you doing something stupid, she has rejected you and probably won't speak to you again."

Yusuke casually picked the green olive in his martini and popped it into his mouth. "So tell me Miroku, did my guess more or less sum up your problem?"

Miroku looked at him with disbelief. "How did you--?"

"Experience is the best teacher, son," Yusuke responded. "I know that look." He closed his eyes and smirked. "I've had troubles like that when I was younger."

Miroku's eyes widened slightly in realization. "Mom."

Yusuke chuckled, his eyes gleaming with nostalgia. "Let me offer you a penny for your thoughts," he offered, looking at Miroku sagely. "It's better to have tried and lost than to have simply given up and not tried at all."

Miroku sweat-dropped. "Wasn't that supposed to be 'love,' not 'tried'?"

Yusuke did not seem to be listening. "I've got another advice," he added. Miroku face faulted beside him. "Before moving forward, you must learn to close the doors of your past."

"You didn't get that from a fortune cookie now, did you?" Miroku scratched his cheek, eyes-half lidded.

Yusuke only smiled and stood up. With his free hand, he dusted off his pinstriped suit. "You understand what I mean," he replied after he straightened up. "I'll see you around then. I've got a meeting in thirty minutes." Walking away, he glanced over his shoulder to his son, who remained lying on the helipad. "And I wasn't kidding about that chopper landing in an hour, Miroku." His son waved a hand in response.

Snorting, Yusuke looked up at the sky and smiled. "He's just like me, isn't he, Keiko?" The older Kanzaki whispered to himself. Above, the vision of his wife's smiling face beamed down on him. He glanced at his son again, eyes softening. "Good luck with Sango," he said quietly, just out of Miroku's earshot.

Back at the helipad, Miroku looked thoughtful for a moment, grateful for his father's advice. He fished his phone out and started dialing some numbers. He knew what his father meant.

* * *

"Hi, Miyu. It's Miroku."

Miyu Kayama stifled a gasp. They were having a break during a photo shoot for a certain make-up brand when she decided to check her voicemail. Much to her surprise, Miroku's name danced on her inbox.

"I tried calling you earlier but you seemed to have turned your phone off so I'm just going to leave you this message." One part of her wanted to throw the phone away, but another part was curious to know what he was about to say. She heard Miroku take a deep breath, as if to psyche himself up. "I know what I did to you was unforgivable. I was a complete jerk who toyed with your emotions and manipulated you callously."

"Damn right you were," Miyu responded scathingly.

"I broke your heart. That act is inexcusable. You did not deserve that." Miroku was quiet for a few seconds. "Please accept my sincerest apologies Miyu…I'm sorry."

Miyu swallowed the painful lump in her throat. Her chest ached.

"I understand the situation you were in when you confronted me days ago. I don't blame you for that. I deserved that a million times over for you and the rest of the girls I hurt inconsiderately."

Miyu felt her eyes sting. She stubbornly blinked back the tears. No, she was not going to shed any tears for him. He was not worth it. Definitely not.

"I hope you will find the person who will truly make you happy and treat you far better than I ever did." There was another pregnant pause. "Once again, I'm very sorry, Miyu…Goodbye."

"Are you okay, Kayama-san?"

Miyu blinked and noticed a set assistant looking at her worriedly from her makeup room door. She glanced at her vanity and immediately realized that her mascara had run down to her cheeks. She was crying and she did not even notice. Lowering the phone from her ear, she incredulously wiped the mascara on her cheek and stared at the dark eye makeup on her fingers.

"The photographer is ready, Kayama-san," the set assistant was saying with uncertainty. "B-but if you need a few minutes to compose yourself, I-I could--"

"Get out!" Miyu suddenly screamed. She threw her phone away, her beautiful face contorted with fury. The startled assistant looked like a deer caught in the headlights as she remained motionless on the doorway. "I said GET OUT!" Miyu marched over to the hapless girl and pushed her out of her room. After clicking the lock, Miyu slumped on the door and slowly slid down to the floor. Her makeup smudged, she started to sob uncontrollably.

_"I'm sorry Miyu…"_ Miroku's voice echoed in her head. _"I do not blame you…I hope you will find the person who will truly make you happy…"_

Miyu looked up and noticed that the screen of her cell phone had cracked. More tears fell.

She had her revenge on Miroku but why did she feel hollow inside?

She had accomplished her goal of making him suffer. So why was she crying?

Miyu let the tears fall, ignoring the anxious pounding of the photographer on her door.

* * *

"Enjoy your meal!" Kagome chirped as she set down two orders of beef ramen.

"Thank you, Kagome-chan!" Manten returned merrily as he broke his chopsticks apart.

Hiten, on the other hand, cleared his throat and flashed Kagome the most charming smile he could muster. "So Kagome," he uttered in an uncharacteristically low, suave voice . He ran a hand through his thick raven locks for added emphasis. Kagome, on the meantime, sweat-dropped but decided to listen patiently to what he had to say.

Hiten inched his chair closer to her. "Since it's Saturday tomorrow, I was kind of wondering…" He leaned closer to Kagome, who in turn, lifted her round tray up to her chin like a shield, eyeing him with uncertainty. "Would you like to go out with me on a d--"

"Kagome!"

Snapping her head to the direction where the voice came from, Kagome realized Ayame, her fellow waitress, had just called her.

"Kaede-obaasan is looking for you," the redhead waitress told her. "She said it's important."

Kagome nodded and quickly jogged over to the counter where the old woman was waiting, not noticing that Hiten had suddenly petrified and keeled over to the floor, depressed that his suave moves did not work on her.

Kaede looked at her soberly. Kagome immediately realized something was wrong.

"You grandfather just called," the old woman informed her. "He said there's an emergency and that you need to come home."

Kagome's heart skipped a beat. What could have happened? Her grandfather's meaning of 'emergency' could sometimes be as mundane as Buyo getting trapped in the well house. Could her grandfather have accidentally set fire on the old shack again while he was burning leaves? Or maybe it was worse. Could any of her family members have encountered an accident?

Kagome swallowed thickly, a bitter aftertaste lingering in her mouth. She could not help but worry. What emergency could it be? Kagome prayed that it was not serious.

"You can go home early today, Kagome," Kaede told her. Kagome was having second thoughts on leaving when the old woman raised a hand and gave her a gentle smile. "Ayame can manage while you're gone. Don't worry about the restaurant."

Kagome felt a hand gently pat her shoulder. "Go home, Kagome." Ayame seconded. "Your family needs you. I can take it from here." The redhead gave her a reassuring wink.

Kagome gave the two a grateful smile. Not even bothering to change from her work clothes, she rushed home, her heart pounding anxiously.

* * *

Kikyo tried not to scowl and hoped that their driver would soon come to pick them up. In the meantime, she busied herself by stirring her cup of cappuccino. Looking up from her drink, she watched as Naraku sipped his latte with great satisfaction.

Shifting her weight on her seat, she wondered how he managed to talk her into going to this café when she was not even particularly fond of coffee. It was too strong, too bitter for her. She diverted her gaze to the other people in the café and idly wondered why they bothered to buy overpriced caffeinated beverages that they could simply make at home.

"You haven't touched your cappuccino," Naraku commented.

Kikyo's attention returned to their table. Naraku looked at her conceitedly as he continued to sip his latte. His dark red eyes danced gleefully, enjoying the sight of Kikyo trying to hide her impatience.

"Oh, I forgot," Naraku continued, feigning an apologetic look. "You're a tea person. Silly me."

Kikyo resisted the urge to roll her eyes. Taking a small bite of her slice of carrot cake, she changed the subject. "Why did you bring me here, Naraku?" She asked coolly.

Naraku set down his cup and leaned back on his seat. "Being the caring brother that I am, I have taken the liberty of bringing you the truth."

Kikyo's gray eyes gazed at him skeptically. "What truth?" She asked, clearly not showing any interest. Wiping her lips with a napkin, she moved to stand up. "Honestly, Naraku, I don't have the time and patience for your games."

Naraku smirked and indolently took a large brown envelope from his schoolbag. He then pushed it at her direction.

"What is this?" Kikyo inquired, eyeing the envelope with suspicion.

Naraku leaned back and pressed his fingertips together. "Open it," he instructed.

Staring at the harmless-looking envelope, Kikyo internally debated if she should humor Naraku or blatantly decline his offer. Her hand delicately hovered above it, unsure whether to pick it up or not.

"Go on," he urged, as if reading her thoughts. "Don't worry. I'm not pulling a prank on you."

Against her better judgment, Kikyo took the envelope and pulled out its content. Her eyes widened when she realized that it was a picture of a white haired, golden-eyed boy with what looked like dog ears atop his head.

Kikyo's eyes narrowed. The boy looked so familiar.

"Do you recognize him?" Naraku prodded.

Kikyo shook her head. "What are you getting at, Naraku?"

The older boy took a bite of his blueberry muffin. "Are you sure?" He nagged. "He's one of the searchees in Kagome's Dating Game."

Kikyo put the photo down. "And what has that got to do with me?" She asked, just barely concealing her irritation.

"Look closer, dear sister."

Gray eyes scanned the picture again. Kikyo's brows furrowed. "He does look familiar," she admitted after a few seconds. "Just like…" Her eyes widened with recognition and she placed a hand on her mouth to stifle a gasp.

"Inuyasha," Naraku finished for her, smirking. It was entertaining to see Kikyo's icy façade break once in a while. "That's his hanyou form."

Kikyo's gray eyes hardened. "Is this your idea of a cruel joke?" She questioned icily.

Naraku sipped his latte. "Isn't it strange that in less than a week he has already found you a replacement considering he treated you like the love of his life?" He observed. "And isn't it convenient that the girl he replaced you with was a complete wallflower who suddenly got a makeover? Very strange indeed. But then again," he finished his muffin, "there have been stranger things."

"What are you trying to imply?" Kikyo narrowed her eyes. Was Naraku insinuating that Inuyasha and Kagome were only pretending? They looked like a genuine happy couple. Why would they do that? What would they get from pretending? It did not make sense.

Naraku gazed out the window. "Tell me, sister, have you heard of Operation MKJ?"

"No."

"Too bad," he replied smugly. He suddenly stood up.

Kikyo turned to the window to see that their driver had arrived. Watching Naraku exit the café, she hid a scowl before standing up.

She left her cappuccino untouched on the table.

* * *

Sango stepped out of the changing room and, to her surprise, saw Kuranosuke by the doorway, looking deep in thought.

"I thought everyone had already left," Sango greeted as she headed over to him.

Kuranosuke's pensive face softened when he saw her. "I can't leave you all alone," he replied quietly. "Especially now when someone seems to be stalking you."

Sango knew exactly who that 'someone' Kuranosuke was talking about. She looked down on her shoes. "He isn't, sempai," she responded, her chest suddenly clenching painfully. "In fact, I haven't seen him since this morning."

"Hn," the Taekwondo captain mumbled. He looked down on her. "But still, I want to make sure you're safe."

Despite herself, Sango blushed slightly. True, she and Kuranosuke were often the only two people left at the Taekwondo hall after training and often left the place together, but this was the first time he ever voiced and showed his protective side. He was often serious and reserved, and to see him openly concerned for her was very sweet and touching.

They walked in companionable silence down the empty corridors. The late afternoon sunlight filtered through the windows, bathing them in a soft orange glow.

Sango stole a glance at him from the corner of her eye. Kuranosuke, as always, was quiet and composed. The soft light accented his features. He was very handsome indeed. Sango stared ahead again and hid a small smile. It was no wonder she crushed on him during junior high up to the early part of eleventh grade. He was the epitome of everything she looked for in a boy: good-looking, mature, responsible, nice.

But Miroku suddenly had to come into the picture.

"Sango?"

She blinked and realized that they were already by the school's front steps.

"H-hai, sempai?" She answered, mentally hitting herself for zoning out.

Kuranosuke shifted his weight on his feet uncomfortably. Sango resisted the urge to rub her eyes in disbelief. Was her cool and collected sempai actually flustered?

"I know this may seem sudden," he stated, looking down at her determinedly. "But do you want to go out with me tomorrow?"

Sango's eyes widened. Did he just ask her out on a date? It was not like that they never went out together. They had gone to Inuyasha's mother's birthday last year, but on that case, _she_ was the one who asked him.

Her cheeks burned. Was there actually a possibility that Kuranosuke liked her more than a friend?

But a pair of navy blue eyes suddenly flashed in her mind.

_"Kagome-san did not blame any of us for what happened to her," Miroku said gently. It was during the time when Kagome got bullied by Yura and the other girls. "You should stop blaming yourself. Kagome would feel awful if she knew about this."_

_Sango's eyes widened when Miroku suddenly turned around._

_"And besides," Miroku looked down at her surprised, tear-stricken face. He wiped a tear away with his thumb. "You look better when you smile."_

Sango blinked and swallowed painfully. Another flashback emerged.

_A smile flitted on Miroku's lips. "Sango?" he said tentatively. They were just about to head to the hospital after receiving the call from Jakotsu about Inuyasha being stabbed. _

_Sango, who was just about to open the passenger door, turned around and realized he was standing in front of her, his arms at her sides, blocking her from any escape. "I'm not giving up yet," he whispered huskily, lowering his head down so it was just a few centimeters from hers. Sango could feel his warm breath on her cheek and was silently grateful she was leaning back on his car since her knees were threatening to buckle. _

_"I'll prove to you that you're not just like any other girl to me. I'll make you see that I don't have any intention of hurting you…" he looked directly into her eyes, "because you're too important for me to lose."_

A slap echoed in her head. It was the scene from this morning.

_"Liar!"_ She had yelled at him.

Never in her life had she felt so betrayed and misled. She thought he would change his ways for her. Apparently, she was wrong. He would never change. He flirted with her like he did with any other girl. He made her feel special, but in reality, she never was in his eyes.

She was stupid for falling for his charms.

"Sango?"

She pushed the thoughts away as she realized Kuranosuke was patiently waiting for her answer.

He looked to the side. Sango noticed disappointment flash in his eyes for a second. "It's okay if you don't want to," he told her softly. "It's not a prob--"

Sango vehemently shook her head. "No sempai!" she exclaimed.

Kuranosuke blinked.

Sango hit herself lightly on the head. "What I mean is, no, it's not a problem," she clarified. "I'll go out with you." She beamed at him. "Of course."

It was time to move on. She squashed the part of her that wanted to openly weep like a petty schoolgirl. Miroku did not deserve her tears. And besides, there were other boys who were far better than he could ever be…like her sempai in front of her.

Kuranosuke smiled down at her. For the first time, Sango saw something else in his usually stoic features: affection.

Sango forced a smile in return.

* * *

"This. Is. The. EMERGENCY?!"

Dark aura flared behind Kagome as she resisted the urge to claw the eyeballs out of a certain hanyou, who was currently cowering behind her grandfather.

"You made my grandfather call me at work just for this?!" Kagome growled, taking a menacing step towards them. In a desperate attempt to save his hide, Inuyasha grabbed hold of the broom the old man was holding and defensively started jerking the bristles at Kagome.

Poke.

A tic was clearly visible on Kagome's eye. A vein throbbed dangerously on her forehead.

Poke. Poke.

"THAT'S IT!" Kagome grabbed the broom and, one nanosecond later, smashed its handle on Inuyasha's head. The poor wooden handle did not stand a chance.

"What the fuck was that for?!" Inuyasha demanded indignantly, instantly nose to nose with a fuming Kagome.

"You made me worried sick for no reason!" Kagome retorted acidly. She desperately wanted to rip off his doggy ears underneath that black cap he wore.

Inuyasha was not going to take this lying down. "It's not my fault you're such a worry wart!"

Gritting her teeth in irritation, Kagome yanked his forelocks to shut him up. "You let my grandfather call me at work, tell me its an emergency, made me worried out of my wits only to find out that you just simply wanted help with," Kagome spat it out, "BABYSITTING?!"

"The little fox wouldn't shut up," Inuyasha muttered crossly.

Kagome glanced at Shippou, who was gleefully playing with Buyo. "I find that hard to believe," she said flatly.

"He was," Inuyasha maintained. "He stopped crying just as you arrived." He muttered something about 'scheming little foxes' under his breath.

Sighing with resignation, Kagome let go of his hair. "You are such a jerk sometimes, Inuyasha," she mumbled tiredly.

She turned to her grandfather. "You could have just said that Inuyasha needed help with Shippou," she lightly scolded him. "You got me worried, grandpa."

Grandpa Higurashi cleared his throat guiltily. "Ah well…" He trailed off. Pointing at a random area, he suddenly exclaimed, "Oh look! So many leaves to sweep, so little time." He scooted off with the severed broom.

Kagome sweat-dropped. There were hardly anymore leaves left on the ground to be swept. Not far, her grandfather was enthusiastically sweeping dust and imaginary leaves about with the broken broom in an effort to look busy.

She suddenly felt somebody tug at the hem of her Capri. "You look very pretty, Kagome," Shippou told her sweetly.

Oh well, she was here anyway. Might as well do what she could to help Inuyasha.

Kagome picked him up. "This is what I wear when I work at the ramen shop," she explained as Shippou's brown eyes admired her fuchsia-colored uniform with intricate floral prints. "You like it?"

Shippou nodded. "Inuyasha thinks you're very pretty, too."

Kagome blushed crimson. "Really now, Shippou-chan?" She looked up at Inuyasha, who immediately turned away when he saw her glance at him.

Inuyasha 'hmphed' but, surprisingly, did not deny what Shippou just said as he stubbornly looked anywhere else but her.

If Kagome knew any better, she could have sworn his cheeks were slightly tinged pink.

"He's just too shy to tell you," Shippou added with a toothy grin.

* * *

At the Takahashi mansion…

"You're such a genius, madam."

Said person nodded smugly. "I know."

"It was brilliant to bribe little Shippou with a huge lollipop so he would go on a temper tantrum just to bring Inuyasha and Kagome-san together." Toutousai continued with amusement as he set down a pair of glass flutes.

"I know!" Izayoi grinned delightedly. "Remind me to thank my sister later for letting me borrow Shippou-chan for a while."

The old butler nodded.

"If all goes according to plan," Izayoi's violet eyes twinkled and she did a quick mental computation, "I could probably have cute grandchildren in five years' time." She cackled with glee.

Toutousai hid an amused smile. It was obvious where Inuyasha got his spunk and shrewd ways. Izayoi, since she had informed her staff not to be bothered as she attended to her son's injuries, now had free time in her hands to play cupid.

"This calls for a celebration, Toutousai," she merrily announced.

The butler popped a champagne open. "Way ahead of you, madam."

* * *

"You're not allergic to chocolates, are you?" Kagome asked with uncertainty.

Inuyasha, who was sitting on the temple's wooden walkway, was idly watching Shippou doodle the likeness of a sleeping Buyo. He scrunched his brows at her direction. "What?" He retorted, as if she had just asked him a stupid question.

Kagome shifted uncomfortably as she looked at the slice of chocolate cake on the tray she was holding. "Um, well you know…" She was not exactly sure why she felt uneasy bringing it up to him when it was a purely innocent question. "Since you're--um, well…dogs aren't advised to eat chocolates…and since you're--"

Inuyasha smirked as he watched her ramble for a few seconds. He then stood up and scooped a bit of the chocolate icing with a clawed finger. He playfully dabbed a bit of the icing on her nose, making Kagome freeze and turn into a deep shade of scarlet.

"No, silly," he responded with a smirk. "Chocolate doesn't have any harmful effect on me even if I'm half dog youkai." He licked off the remaining icing on his finger and looked at her slyly. "You were saying?"

Kagome glanced at the chocolate icing on her nose, turning cross-eyed for a second. "You knew what I was trying to say all along, didn't you?" She pouted at him.

Inuyasha took the plate of cake and sat down again. "Of course I did," he replied thickly as he took a large bite. "But it was fun to see you all embarrassed trying to tell me about it."

Kagome rolled her eyes and sat down beside him, placing the tray with a glass of milk between them. After wiping the icing from her nose, she rested her chin on the palm of her hands and giggled as Shippou tried to awaken Buyo by tickling the tabby cat's nose with a leaf.

"What's with the dent?" Inuyasha asked out of the blue.

Kagome perked up and turned to him. "What dent?"

Inuyasha gestured his head towards the large Goshinbuko. "The one on the side of that tree," he clarified. "Did your family remove the bark on one side of it for some mysterious ritual or something?"

Kagome laughed and shook her head. "It has always been that way," she told him. Standing up, she took his hand and led him near the tree. Inuyasha's hand tingled from the contact and he was almost disappointed when she let go. Almost.

Kagome's eyes took on a distant look. "My father told me a legend about it," she informed him silently. "He said that during the Feudal Era, a hanyou and a powerful miko fell in love. However, as it was back then, the love between youkais and humans, even more so hanyous, was forbidden." Inuyasha noticed Kagome look on sadly. "A heartless thief came into the picture and made them think that one betrayed the other."

She stepped over the small fence built around the Goshinbuko and reached out to touch the shallow depression on its bark. "This is supposed to be the spot where the hanyou was pinned by the miko's arrow, forever imprisoned in suspended animation." She ran her hand delicately on the rough bark. "The miko died soon after from the wounds the hanyou inflicted on her."

She turned to Inuyasha and smiled sadly. "That story made me cry when I first heard it," she admitted to him. "It was just so sad they couldn't be together. Maybe if they met today when youkais and humans lived harmoniously together, perhaps their story would have ended differently." She forced a smile. "It's silly, ne? I'm being sentimental over an old legend."

Inuyasha looked at her gently. "You have a big heart, Kagome," he told her. "It's nothing to be embarrassed about."

Kagome beamed in appreciation at the compliment and headed back towards him. Just as she was tiptoeing over the small fence surrounding the tree, the hem of her Capri got caught in the trellis, causing her to fall forward.

She suddenly found herself leaning comfortably on Inuyasha's chest. He had caught her in time, his arms protectively holding her close. She heard his chest rumble as he chuckled. "I swear Kagome you're so accident prone, no company will ever offer you insurance," she heard Inuyasha quip. She looked up and saw his honey-colored orbs gazing down at her with a mixture of amusement and warmth. "You really need someone to take care of you, you know."

Snickers suddenly erupted behind them.

The two immediately separated, wearing identical blushes, and whirled to see who it was.

Souta and Kohaku stood by the temple's stone path, wearing identical soccer uniforms. Kagome's little brother had a wide grin plastered on his face, his brown eyes agleam with mischief. "Who's your new boyfriend, onee-chan?" He teased. "Does mama know about him?"

Kagome puffed her cheeks and moved to retort when Inuyasha placed a hand on her arm to stop her. She looked up at him questioningly, to which he responded with a quick wink.

Placing his clawed hands into the front pockets of his red hooded jacket, Inuyasha tilted his head cockily at the two little boys. "Yes, your mom knows about me," he answered. "Why? Don't you remember me, squirt?"

A clueless Kohaku turned to Souta, who squinted as he tried to recognize the silver-haired boy beside his sister. "I-Inu-oniisan?" He sputtered with disbelief.

Inuyasha smirked in response.

Souta's face immediately brightened and he dragged Kohaku over to the hanyou. "He's the one I was telling you about!" He exclaimed excitedly to Sango's little brother. "I told you he was cool!" Reaching Inuyasha, he tugged at the hem of his jacket. "I didn't recognize you, Inu-oniisan! Why did you color your hair white? Are those yellow contact lenses?"

Inuyasha opened his mouth to answer when Souta prattled on, not giving him the chance to speak. "Me and Kohaku were planning to practice soccer since we have a big game in two weeks," he prattled on, making Inuyasha sweat-drop. Unlike Kagome, Souta was extremely talkative. "Could you coach us, Inu-oniisan?"

"Well…" Inuyasha pretended to ponder for a moment before he shrugged. "Why not? I'm tired babysitting anyway."

Kagome sighed in resignation as Inuyasha showed them a few soccer ball tricks. Wasn't _he _supposed to be the one babysitting Shippou? But then, considering they were just watching Shippou play with Buyo for the past half hour, it was understandable for Inuyasha to be bored.

"Kagome, look what I drew!" Shippou bounded over to her.

"That's a nice picture of Buyo, Shippou-chan," she praised him.

Shippou gave her an odd look. "That's the bunny rabbit in my school."

Kagome sweat-dropped.

Lucky for her, Shippou had a short attention span. "What's that shiny thing on the tree?" He asked, pointing at the upper portion of the dented spot on the Goshinbuko.

Kagome's blue eyes widened. Putting Shippou down, she headed over to investigate. Standing on the large root jutting from the tree, she tiptoed and reached for the glinting object. She suddenly recoiled her hand and hissed in pain. Blood started to trickle from her middle finger so she instinctively sucked on it. She looked back up. Could the object that had pricked her be an arrow tip?

"Maybe the legend is true, after all," she murmured, staring at her injured finger.

"Kagome, watch out!"

"Oneechan!"

Kagome whipped her head around just in time to see a soccer ball heading straight at her.

And then, everything went black.

* * *

Sango took a sip of hot chocolate as she headed to her room. Outside, the rain was coming down in torrents. Once in a while, lightning would streak through the sky, followed a few seconds later by rumbling thunder. The trees and plants swayed from the wind, their shadows creeping and dancing through the rain-pelted windows.

Humming to herself, Sango abruptly did a double take as she passed by the windows on the stairs. Did she just see a person standing outside their gates? Squinting through the darkness, she could just barely make out the silhouette of a person. Lightning suddenly flashed, and her eyes widened when she recognized who it was.

"Miroku?!" She gaped in utter disbelief.

Rushing up to her room, she found her cell phone blinking, a signal that she had an unread text message. Flipping her phone open, she immediately saw Miroku had sent her a message two hours ago.

_Please let me explain what happened, Sango. I'm not leaving until you give me a chance to explain. I want to clear things up so you would stop being angry with me._

Dumbfounded, she plopped down on her bed. Was he really serious? Turning off her bedroom lights, she looked out once again and saw Miroku standing by the gate with rigid determination, unmindful of the pounding rain and unrelenting wind.

Leaning on her windowsill, she traced the raindrops sliding down on the cold glass.

Why was he doing this? Why was he just so desperate to explain himself? Why would he even bother standing in the rain when he could easily have another pretty girl at a snap of a finger?

Could he actually have feelings for--

Sango stopped herself in time. No sense deluding herself. Miroku was clearly bluffing. He was not going to last, not with this rainstorm. She gave him thirty more minutes, tops.

Turning the lights back on, she pushed herself to finish her math assignment.

* * *

Masahiko Miyabe thanked the family maid after she delivered him his coffee at his office. Inhaling the rich aroma, the president of the Miyabe Shipping Corporation quietly stirred his mug as he turned his big leather chair towards the window. He blew at the soft wisps coming from the hot drink, enjoying how the steam swirled under his breath.

It was just a few minutes past nine in the evening. Taking a small sip of his black coffee, his gaze traveled to the gates. Miroku was standing there for more than two hours already.

_"What are you planning, Miroku-kun?"_ He wondered gravely.

* * *

Kagome opened her eyes. Her hazy vision slowly cleared, and she realized she was staring at her bedroom ceiling. Wait. Wasn't she just babysitting Shippou?

Quickly sitting up, her head immediately throbbed and the cool washcloth on her forehead fell to her lap. Clutching the side of her head, she felt a sting when she applied pressure on her temple. Did she hit her head?

Gazing at her alarm clock, she noted that it was already quarter to one in the morning. Suddenly feeling thirsty, she peeled off her blanket and casually noticed that she was in her pajamas. She groggily headed for the kitchen, all the while rubbing the tender spot at the side of her head.

"I see you're up already," her mother greeted her when she reached the dining area. "How are you feeling?"

Kagome gave her a small smile as she got herself a glass of milk. "My head's aching a bit," she replied as she pulled a chair beside her mother at the table. "But other than that, I'm just sleepy." She gave a long yawn. It was then that she noticed the blue band-aid on her middle finger, the one that got pricked at the Goshinbuko. Strange. She didn't remember her family having a blue colored one at the first-aid kit.

"I hardly recognized Inuyasha today," her mother opened up. "He looks a lot like his father."

Kagome was immediately awake. "You saw his dad?" She asked in surprise.

Her mother giggled. "Not in person, no," she responded. "But he does have a large picture on one of the halls. He owns the company I work for, after all. Tetsusaiga Corporation, remember?"

Kagome hid a smirk as she remembered the time Inuyasha blackmailed her into helping him with his scheme or else he take back the job offer from Tetsusaiga. Ah, those were good times.

"You knew who he was all along?" Kagome asked in surprise.

Mrs. Higurashi took a sip of her tea. "I had a feeling who he was," she answered. "Even if Takahashi is a common surname, I doubt there were that many Takahashis who could afford Shikon Gakuen. I mean, that makeover and clothes he gave you were very expensive."

Kagome laughed nervously. So her mother knew Inuyasha himself had given her the makeover. And she had thought her mother had believed that 'I-got-a-makeover-at-the-library-while-we-were-researching' story she told her to explain her new look.

"When I saw the picture of Inu no Taisho, and noticed that Inuyasha did not look like him, I thought he was adopted," Mrs. Higurashi continued. "But when I saw him now, I realized he wasn't. He actually has a striking resemblance to his father."

"Inu no Taisho?" Kagome queried. "Is that Inuyasha's father's name?"

Mrs. Higurashi shook her head. "No dear, but that is what we employees call him, out of respect and admiration." She rested her chin on the palm of her hand. "Tell me, Kagome, does Inuyasha have a beaded necklace that holds back his youkai blood?"

Kagome, who was sipping her milk, almost choked at the question. "H-how did you know that?"

Her mother gave a soft snort as she looked at her cup of tea knowingly. "So that's what she meant," she mumbled to herself. "Inuyasha was the child she was talking about back then."

Kagome could not believe what she was hearing. It was simply mind-boggling how her mother knew so much about something she thought was a secret. "Who's that 'she' you were referring to, mama?" she asked.

Mrs. Higurashi grinned cheerfully. "It's best that you learn that information from Inuyasha," she answered. "It's his secret to tell." She then deftly changed the topic. "You know, I can see how much he cares about you, Kagome." She giggled behind her hand. "When I arrived home this evening, he looked so anxious. He would have called every doctor he knew if I didn't tell him to calm down. Did you know he even called one of the most renowned doctors in Japan just to check up on you?"

Kagome's brows rose up and disappeared behind her bangs. "He did?" She asked, dumbfounded. Somehow, the mental image of Inuyasha panicking seemed too unreal to believe.

"He was so relieved to know you only got a minor concussion from the soccer ball." He mother narrated on.

Kagome pressed on the tender area on her temple. Figures why her head throbbed so much.

"The doctor gave you some medicines to make you rest, since you also appeared to be over fatigued." Mrs. Higurashi placed a hand affectionately on her daughter's arm. "After that, he took Shippou-chan home and came back to ask me if he could stay until you woke up."

Kagome swallowed. "S-so he's still here?" She asked in a daze.

"He's staying at the living room," her mother responded. "He's probably asleep now."

Kagome's index finger idly trailed the rings of moisture left on the table by her cool glass of milk. It was very touching to know he fussed so much over her, but then again, he was probably only doing this because he felt guilty, like the time when he took her to his mansion after she got bullied and locked at the school rooftop. She should not make any unfounded assumptions because Inuyasha was only doing this out of obligation. After all, it was _his _fault she got hurt.

"He's a very nice young man, isn't he, Kagome?" Her mother suddenly asked.

"Uhuh," Kagome mumbled absentmindedly. She took a sip of her milk and looked down sadly. She knew that despite how much Inuyasha worried about her today, she could never have his affections. His heart would always belong to Kikyo. She should not even hope. She did not even have the slightest chance of winning his heart anyway.

Kagome could not help but frown. _"Why are you being so sweet?"_ She thought, frustrated. _"Stop making me fall for you even more, you idiot."_

Mrs. Higurashi grinned, noticing her daughter was distracted. "And isn't he very handsome?" She baited. "You look good together."

"Uhuh," Kagome agreed inattentively. She then blinked and caught herself. "Mama!" She cried, looking scandalized. "Stop teasing!"

Mrs. Higurashi laughed.

* * *

Sango tossed and turned in her bed, unable to sleep. The rain was still pouring heavily outside, and thunder would occasionally rumble at the distance.

_"Is he still out there?" _She wondered, staring up at the ceiling. Lightning suddenly flashed outside. Groaning loudly, she got out of bed and headed to her window which had a clear view of the gate. Much to her surprise, Miroku was still there, standing rigidly as the unmerciful wind and rain pounded him. Stealing a glance at her clock, she realized that it was already one in the morning.

Tearing herself away from the window, she started to pace her room anxiously. Okay, so he was certainly not bluffing. Should she go out or just leave him until he finally (if ever) gave up? She wrung her hands together, confused.

She glanced at the window again before throwing her hands up in defeat. "Stupid idiot," she crossly muttered under her breath. She sighed tiredly. "I swear I'm going to regret this later."

She grabbed her bathrobe and left her room.

* * *

Kagome softly tiptoed towards their living room, squinting in the darkness. Her mother had retired to bed just a few minutes ago, leaving her to her thoughts at the dining room. She had then decided she would check up on Inuyasha for a minute, just to make sure he was comfortable. For someone so used to luxury, Kagome knew sleeping on the couch would be troublesome for him.

Her eyes finally adjusting to the darkness, she spotted his sleeping form on the sofa. Carefully inching closer, she sat on the wooden coffee table opposite the couch, making as little noise as possible.

She smiled as she stared at his sleeping form. Inuyasha looked so peaceful and angelic. Kagome wondered how someone could be so beautiful even while asleep. His silver hair seemed to glow in the darkness and framed his handsome face exquisitely. His chest would rise and fall rhythmically as he took soft, even breaths.

Kagome's eyes fell on his lips. She wondered how many girls he had kissed with those. Though their 'accidental kiss' was very brief, she could still remember how soft his--

_"Snap out of it, Kagome!"_ She slapped her forehead to break herself out of her trance. In doing so, she hit the tender spot on her temple. Pain shot through her head.

"Oow," she whispered, eyes watering as she nursed her injury. She was thankful it was raining outside so it muffled her silent cry of pain.

Relieved that Inuyasha was still fast asleep, her eyes traveled to the adorable dog ears on top of his head. The cap he used to cover them was lying just beside her on the coffee table. His ears would tweak once in a while, when thunder would rumble softly outside. Kagome felt the overwhelming desire to touch them. They looked so soft. Dogs liked to get their ears scratched; would Inuyasha enjoy it too?

She then noticed that a few strands of his forelocks had fallen to his face. She was just about to gently brush them away when his eyes suddenly opened.

"It's really creepy how you're staring at me while I'm sleeping," Inuyasha commented calmly.

Kagome hastily retracted her hand and gave a startled 'Eep!', falling off the coffee table in the process.

* * *

Miroku took a shaky breath. He had been standing outside Sango's gates for more than six hours, drenched to the bone by the cold rain, which seemed to be pouring in torrents.

His body was screaming at him to rest. He was already feeling numb and heavy. His legs ached from standing so long. He was shaking uncontrollably and his teeth chattered from the cold. He felt dizzy and weak with his empty stomach due to having no lunch and dinner. Everything seemed to be against him right now, but he would not allow himself to give up.

Miroku smirked. What he was doing may probably fall along the lines of stalking already. He had never gone through great lengths for a girl. But he could not bear to lose her. It was too painful to even think about.

Now he knew what Inuyasha felt when Kikyo dumped him. He now understood why Inuyasha went as far as blackmail just to try to get Kikyo back. You would do anything, give everything just to get back the person you love.

He suddenly heard footsteps. His heart skipped a beat and he looked up to see Sango heading towards him with an umbrella and a thick blanket. A sudden warmth seeped into him when he saw her, and he could no longer feel the cold or wetness all around him.

He opened his mouth to call her name, but his throat suddenly felt sore and no voice escaped his lips. Miroku watched as Sango unlocked the gate, which grated loudly in its hinges when she pushed it open.

She held the umbrella over his head and tried to glare at him.

"Stupid, stupid, stupid," she muttered as tears began to fall down her cheeks.

Miroku smiled down on her affectionately in response. "Don't cry," he croaked, his voice coming out broken and hoarse. He lifted a hand and brushed a tear away from her cheek with his thumb. "You look better when you smile."

His knees suddenly buckled and he collapsed into her arms.

"I'm so sorry, Sango," he mumbled. It was painful to talk but he did not heed the soreness in his throat. Using the remainder of his strength, he willed himself to straighten up. "Believe me, please. She means nothing. I only kissed her so she would not bother me again. She blackmailed me to chose between you and Inuyasha and offered me that kiss as an alternative. So I--"

Sango suddenly placed her index finger on his cold lips to shush him. Teary-eyed, she gave him a small smile. "You're an idiot, Kanzaki."

* * *

Sango's father watched as their family maid ran towards Sango to help her bring Miroku inside. He sighed, picked up the phone and pressed a speed dial. Someone on the other end groggily answered the call.

"Yusuke," he began, his face stern and serious, "we need to talk about your son."

* * *

"Really Kagome," Inuyasha remarked, clicking his tongue. "You're so clumsy, it's remarkable."

Much to Kagome's surprise, he picked her up bridal style and gently put her down on the couch next to him. "You need to be more careful next time," he scolded her lightly. "You're a walking disaster sometimes."

Kagome got annoyed. "Well, I wasn't the one who sent soccer balls flying towards the heads of unsuspecting individuals who were minding their own business," she retorted defensively.

Inuyasha's eyes widened at her unexpected retort.

Kagome realized what she just said and gasped. "I'm so sorry!" She exclaimed, bowing. Noticing that she did not get a reply, she looked up worriedly. "I was just embarrassed and you were calling me--" she hurriedly explained when he cut he off.

"Stop apologizing!"

Kagome shrunk back in response.

Inuyasha groaned in exasperation and slapped his forehead. "I'm doing it again!" He muttered to himself. He sighed and looked at Kagome guiltily. "I'm sorry. It's me who should apologize, not only for what happened this afternoon but for most of your recent troubles, because you got into those because of me."

Kagome vehemently shook her head. "That's not true," she denied.

Inuyasha remained mute.

Kagome tried to lighten the conversation. "Don't worry about that soccer ball thing," she said flippantly. "I'm fine so it's no big deal, okay?" She then shifted the topic. "How is your wound? Is it still painful?" She inquired, trying to check his injuries.

Inuyasha suddenly grabbed hold of her wrists firmly before she could even touch him. "Stop it, Kagome," he ordered softly.

Kagome looked up at him, her lips slightly parted in confusion. "Stop what?"

"You always put other people first that you forget to take care of yourself," he elaborated. "You need someone to take care of you, too."

"I have my family to do that, Inuyasha," she replied.

"You know what I'm talking about, Kagome," he responded quietly.

Kagome looked down, not knowing what to say. She felt Inuyasha release one of her hands and pull her other hand towards him. She gazed on, her blue eyes curious.

"Your favorite color is blue, right?" He asked. She nodded slightly. He looked down at her much smaller hand. "It was a good thing I brought band aids with me, in case that little fox got himself hurt." He smiled at her, his claws softly brushing the back of her hand. "But I guess you were the one who needed band-aids instead."

He released her hand and brushed some of her bangs away from her face, making Kagome tense up at the contact. "Does your head hurt?" He asked, his eyes roaming her forehead for signs of injury.

"Just when you press on the concussion," Kagome admitted, pulling out of his reach. Inasmuch as she wanted to, she realized she could not allow herself to get too attached to Inuyasha. It would only hurt twice as much when their pseudo-relationship ended. She forced a laugh. "At least I didn't get amnesia or something like that." She faked a yawn. "Well, I guess I better get some sleep. You should, too." She stood up.

"Kagome, wait."

Inuyasha stood up and looked at her gently, his eyes glowing softly in the darkness. "Thank you," he murmured sincerely.

Kagome furrowed her brows. "For what?"

"For being so nice and wonderful to me." Kagome blushed at his reply. "I've been so horrible to you that I feel like I don't deserve your kindness." He lifted her chin and looked down at her fondly. "So until you find your special person, I will take care of you in the meantime." Kagome gaped at him, stunned. He chuckled and gave her nose a gentle, playful flick with his thumb and index finger. "Sweet dreams, miko-chan." He then started towards the door.

"Where are you going?" Kagome asked, trailing behind him. "It's still raining. You should go home in the morning or after the rain stops."

Inuyasha dismissively waved a hand . "I'm going to be fine," he said casually. "Even more so because I'm in my hanyou form. Don't worry." He gave Kagome a wink. "I'll see you tomorrow." He then shut the door quietly behind him.

Kagome stared at her hand with the blue band-aid, a bittersweet smile on her face. _"How will you react, Inuyasha, if you knew my special person is none other than _you_?"_

* * *

Inuyasha gracefully landed on his bedroom balcony. He pushed the door open and shook off the moisture in his hair and clothing much like a dog would.

After a quick shower, he plopped on his bed and gingerly picked up the snow globe by his bedside table. It was Kikyo's get-well gift.

Shaking the globe, he watched as the pink 'snow', representing cherry blossom petals, danced around the figure of what looked like a miko holding a bow, staring at a sleeping young man pinned to a tree with an arrow.

Inuyasha's eyes grew melancholic. "Kikyo…"

* * *

**Next on The Substitute:**

_::Hojo hesitantly walks towards the middle of the stage and clears his throat nervously::_

_**Hojo: **::in a robot-like voice:: _Helios-san has realized that some characters of Inuyasha were not getting as much airtime, so as an act of kindness, yours truly and Ayame-san here will do the next chapter previews. Turns to Ayame. How are you feeling, Ayame-san?

_::Sailor Helios and Jakotsu, who are behind the camera, slap their foreheads spontaneously::_

_**Sailor Helios: **::whispers:: _You're supposed to do that, not say it! And try to act like you're not reading a teleprompter.

_::Hojo laughs nervously::_

_**Ayame:**_ _::in same monotonous, robot-like voice:: _I am good, Hojo-kun. Thank you for asking. Beams at Hojo widely. Pats Hojo's shoulder. You're looking well yourself.

_::Behind the camera, Sailor Helios has a tic on her right eye while Jakotsu has fainted from their bad acting::_

_**Hojo and Ayame: **_Hojo and Ayame chorus. Next on The Substitute: Kagome and Inuyasha have their 'friendly' outing at Kaza no Kizu, flashbacks of Inuyasha's childhood, Naraku drops a few more hints to his sister and Miroku and Sango have more complications to face.

_**Ayame: **_Oh, the humanity. Ayame faints. _::she blinks for a second before falling ungracefully::_

_**Hojo: **_Catches Ayame. _::there is a loud thud just as extends his arms::_

_**Inuyasha: **::nudges Sailor Helios while the crew check Ayame:: _Now you know why they're only minor characters.

_**Sailor Helios: **_Shut up.


	20. Reminiscing the Forgotten

Holy smokes! Inuyasha (the manga) is nearing its end. The final battle is about to begin, and yet I am still five chapters away from finishing my story! Note to self: stop being such a damn perfectionist and get sorry, lazy butt to write.

And before I forget, thank you everyone for still reading my story. I truly appreciate your kind words and understanding. All your reviews mean so much to this humble authoress. Sniff. Sniff.

This chapter makes references on events that took place in the previous chapters. You should probably brush up on chapters one, nine, seventeen and nineteen to understand or appreciate the scenes more. Hehe. Even I had to reread the previous chapters to make sure I got the details right.

Caution: Chapter contains lots of drama and "angsting" (I just invented a word). I threw in a bit of humor because I can't stand an extremely dramatic story (that, and writing drama and angst is so hard…you need to get into a certain mood and all). You have been warned. _**::creepy organ music suddenly plays in the background::.**_ Mwahahaha.

So here's the latest chapter. Hope you enjoy it.

**The Substitute  
****Chapter 20  
****Reminiscing the Forgotten**

Kagome excitedly skipped down the shrine steps, softly humming to herself. It was a beautiful, sunny Saturday morning. Kagome was thankful that the weather was cooperating. After all, this was the day she and Inuyasha were going to Kaze no Kizu, the new amusement park, courtesy of her win at the archery game against Kikyo last Culture Day.

Kagome knew this did not qualify as a date, so she dressed as casually and simply as possible, with a simple white shirt, denim capris and navy-colored canvas shoes. Her shiny raven hair was tied back by a silver clip, the same clip she had first worn during her makeover.

Her breath hitched in her throat when she spotted Inuyasha at the bottom of the shrine steps. Just when she thought he could not get anymore gorgeous, he had to go and prove her wrong. His dark pants and sleek black leather jacket gave him an air of mystery and irresistible charm. His silver hair and golden eyes contrasted his dark attire, making his beautiful features stand out even more. Kagome was just slightly disappointed that she could not see his adorable ears, since they were currently hidden under a red bandana.

Inuyasha smirked at her. "Hey, miko-chan." He uncrossed his hands on his chest and straightened up. He had been casually leaning on a gleaming black Ducati motorcycle as he waited for her.

Hiding a blush, Kagome frowned slightly in amusement. "Why do you call me that?" She asked when she reached him. "I'm not a miko."

Inuyasha shrugged. "You live in a shrine."

"That doesn't mean I have spiritual powers or anything," Kagome replied with a grin.

Inuyasha snorted. "Would you rather be called 'butt-ugly-chan' instead?" He teased, smiling insolently. "But then again, that would be one syllable more than 'miko-chan' so it would take more energy to say."

Kagome giggled and hit him lightly on the arm. "How about just 'Kagome'?" She suggested.

Inuyasha pretended to look defeated. "Fine," he conceded. "But miko-chan sounded cute."

Kagome's cheeks burned.

"It was just too bad the person wasn't as cute as her nickname," Inuyasha added slyly.

Kagome pouted, feigning a look of annoyance. "Well, excuse me for not being cute," she responded lightly. "At least I'm not called 'Inu-chan' so I'm spared of being mistaken for a pet dog."

"Touché, Kagome," he remarked, beaming. He then held out a smaller helmet. "So let's go?"

Kagome received the helmet with hesitation. "Why didn't you have a car with you?"

Inuyasha had just put on his helmet. "I just felt like riding something different today," he answered. He raised a brow suspiciously. "You're not scared of riding motorbikes, are you?"

Kagome vehemently shook her head. "Of course not!" She answered heatedly, blushing. Her voice turned to a low murmur. "Even if they don't have seatbelts and have higher accident rates than cars," she mumbled to herself. "Not to mention someone here sometimes likes to drive like a lunatic…"

Inuyasha got on the Ducati. "So you are scared," he pointed out, amused at how Kagome was trying put on a brave face. "We could always take public transportation. We'd probably get to Kaze no Kizu in two hours that way."

"N-no, I'm fine," Kagome replied. "This is fine." She put on her helmet and shakily got onto the bike. Inuyasha suddenly revved the engine, making Kagome squeak and cling to him like a leech.

Inuyasha chuckled. "You sure you're not scared?" He asked, although the answer was already fairly obvious. He revved the motorcycle again and felt Kagome's grip on his torso tighten even more. Yep, the girl was really fun to tease, not to mention he secretly enjoyed her holding onto him. But there was no way he was going to admit that out loud.

Kagome suddenly gave a terrified 'Eep!' as the motorbike sped forward. She closed her eyes and prayed to all the Shinto gods she knew that they make it to the amusement park in one piece.

* * *

Sango stared at the dustmoats that flitted in the beam of sunlight that peeped through the curtains. She was at one of the guest rooms, sitting the edge of the bed where Miroku currently slept in. She closed her eyes forcefully, ignoring the painful sensation that accompanied the blinking of tired, dry eyes from lack of sleep. It was morning already and it was only now that she had noticed. 

She cast an eye over the electronic thermometer on the bedside table that read 37.8oC. Miroku had mild fever. After hours of enduring the wind and rain, Sango was a bit surprised he was not in a worse shape.

"You are such an idiot, Kanzaki," she whispered, frowning slightly. Her hand gently slid down to cup his cheek. _"But I'm an even bigger idiot," _she thought to herself. She blinked back her tears. Miroku, in his sleep, leaned closer to her touch.

Sango's brown eyes became downcast and she quietly pulled her hand away from his face. Miroku grunted softly in response to the sudden loss of contact, but otherwise did not awaken.

Sango stood up from the rattan chair she had been sitting on and carefully sat at the edge of the bed. She looked down at Miroku, her brown eyes confused.

"Why are you doing this, Kanzaki?" she whispered. "Why do you have to go through great lengths just to get me to talk to you again?"

Unresponsive, Miroku continued to sleep.

Sango bowed her head, smirking. How pathetic. Here she was, trying to illicit answers from a sleeping person. She swallowed a painful lump in her throat. Looking back at him, she gently combed the raven locks that fell on his sleeping face. Whether awake or asleep, Miroku's good looks never failed to show. His black hair was unkempt and he looked pale but he was still very handsome, still capable of sweeping any girl off her feet. She idly marveled how he could still be so good-looking even when sick and asleep. Sango idly wondered how many girls have seen him asleep like this, wondered how many girls he has slept with…

Sango closed her eyes painfully. She should stop deluding herself with false hopes. She was only going to get hurt if she got more involved with Miroku. She had seen first hand how he treated his girlfriends. How sure was she that she would not be treated the same way?

Could someone like him really change just for _her_? She was nowhere near as beautiful or as sophisticated as his past girlfriends. Compared to them, she was nothing special. She was ordinary and tomboyish. What could he see in her?

A pained smile found its way on her face. She reached out to brush away an unruly lock of hair on his face when a sudden knock on the door made her retract her hand hastily.

"Takeda-san called," their maid informed her as she half-entered the threshold. "He said he will pick you up in an hour."

Sango nodded in acknowledgement. "Thanks for telling me," she said sincerely, grateful that Kuranosuke had called in advance. She had almost forgotten her date with him today with the events that took place last night. The maid gave her a kind smile before she closed the door behind her.

Sango turned back to Miroku and sighed deeply. "I know you can't hear me," she began, "but it's better this way. It's easier." She smiled ruefully. "I might not be as coherent if you were awake. You're well aware how your presence can easily dazzle me."

"That stunt you pulled last night was extremely stupid." Sango said as she gently pushed a lock of his stray raven hair away from his face. "But it was also very touching. No boy has ever gone to great lengths just to make me talk to him again." She felt her brown eyes filling with tears. "But I don't know Miroku…I want so much to believe you did that because your feelings for me were sincere…But when I look back at it now, I'm doubtful. It seemed so theatrical, something too good to be true."

A bittersweet smile lingered on Sango's lips. "And if your intentions were indeed true, I keep fearing how long it will last before you grow tired of a plain girl like me and look for women far more beautiful than I could ever be. So this time I will be rational. This time, I'm going to follow my logic instead of my heart."

Sango took a small envelope from inside her robe and placed it on the bedside table. It had Miroku's name neatly written on it. She held back her tears. No more. She was not going to cry over a boy. Not this time.

"Goodbye, Miroku."

And with that, Sango stood up and closed her heart.

Unknown to her, her father was listening at the slightly open door.

* * *

"We're here!" Kagome gave a delighted squeal and started checking out the various booths and rides within a hundred foot radius around them. Inuyasha sweat-dropped as Kagome kept tugging him at different directions. 

"Ooh, we should go here first!" She exclaimed, pointing at a rollercoaster. A shiny thing suddenly caught her attention. "Wait! This ride's better!" She then tugged Inuyasha at the opposite direction. "Wah! I want that cute plushie!" She suddenly sniffed the air and dragged Inuyasha to a food stall. "Those takoyakis smell good!"

Inuyasha, tired of being towed around by a suddenly hyperactive Kagome, did not budge when she tried to pull him towards the Maze of Mirrors. "Make up your damn mind already," he growled.

Kagome blinked and realized what she was doing. "Oh, sorry," she apologized, sticking her tongue out impishly. She then pulled out a map of the amusement park from her small yellow backpack.

"Let's see now," she mumbled thoughtfully as she unfolded the map. "Where should we go first?" She skimmed over the rides in contemplation. "Do you want to go on Kazaana, the fastest roller coaster in the park; Hiraikotsu, the one with the tallest drop; or Tokijin, the newest one?" She looked over the map at him.

Inuyasha looked uninterested. "Whatever," he answered with a shrug. He deftly sidestepped when some children ran past them with a huge clump of dinosaur shaped balloons. "Whatever ride will do."

Kagome's perkiness dropped down a few notches, affected by Inuyasha's lack of enthusiasm. "Did you feel forced to come with me?" She asked quietly, trying not to look sad. "I can understand if you want to spend your day doing something else with someone else."

Inuyasha suddenly flicked her forehead lightly.

Kagome pouted, rubbing the spot. It did not hurt but still… "What did you do that for?"

"You were being melodramatic," Inuyasha replied simply. "No one forced me to come with you. I came because I wanted to. It's just that…" he sighed and looked away. "I have never been to an amusement park before. All of this," he gestured to everything around them, "is new to me."

Kagome gave him a soft, understanding smile. "I forgot," she answered. "You're so rich that amusement to you meant going yachting at the Mediterranean or skiing at some Alpine resort."

Inuyasha snorted, amused that she was partly correct. "I was rather sheltered as a child," he explained. "I usually didn't go to crowded places too much. I still don't, if I can help it."

"Did it have something to do with you being a hanyou?" Kagome asked quietly.

Inuyasha slipped his hands into his pants pockets and smiled bitterly. His eyes took on a faraway look, not bothering to answer her question.

_Flashback._

_Six year old Inuyasha climbed up a chair and peeked through the curtains. His golden eyes brightened as he watched children playing at the nearby public playground just a stone's throw away from their house. His bright eyes focused on a father playing at a sandbox with his son and felt a twinge of envy. He watched as the little boy laughed as his father carefully placed a small triangular flag on top of their humble sandcastle._

_"Why don't you go out and play, Inuyasha?" A voice asked kindly behind him._

_Little Inuyasha looked over his shoulder to see his mother's older sister, Saya, smiling down at him. He had heard her coming but he had been too engrossed at the father and son playing to fully acknowledge her presence._

_He shook his head at her in response. He did not like going out much. He did not like the look some people gave him. It did not happen always, but when it occurred, he wanted to disappear. Why were some strangers angry with him? What did he ever do to deserve their scathing looks?_

_"What are you saying, Saya?" His mother suddenly appeared behind his aunt, laughing lightly. "We're heading for a get together, remember?" She winked down at her son, who was quietly watching. _

_Saya looked a lot like his mother, with her flawless milky skin and lavender eyes. She, however, had shorter shoulder length hair and was not as vivacious as Izayoi._

_"Are you sure you want to take Inuyasha there?" She asked, her lavender eyes worried._

_"Don't worry, onee-chan." Izayoi gave her a reassuring smile. "We'll be okay. He's there." She looked at Inuyasha. "Come on, Inu-chan," she called cheerfully. "We don't want to be late."_

_Inuyasha threw the playing children one last longing glance before he timidly took his mother's outstretched hand._

_End of Flashback._

Inuyasha suddenly spotted Bakuryuha, a free fall ride, where people are lifted into a high tower and then suddenly plunged ten storeys, before coming to a gentle stop at the bottom.

"How about we take that ride?" He suggested all of a sudden, pointing at Bakuryuha's general direction.

Kagome, who was looking at him with a mixture of sadness and worry, did not budge.

Noticing Kagome's troubled expression, he gave her a sly grin. "What's wrong, Kagome?" He taunted. "Are you too scared to try the ride?"

A grin spread on Kagome's face as she rose to his challenge. "You wish," she said, brightening up. She looked up at him with determination. "I promise you, Inuyasha, I'm going to make this one of the happiest and most memorable days of your life." She pumped her fists in the air with conviction. "Yosh!"

"Sure you will," Inuyasha responded patronizingly, amused at her antics.

Kagome laughed. "Come on then!" She tugged him towards the ride.

Inuyasha sighed and allowed her to lead him through the buzzing crowd. "You're so childish, Kagome," he commented as she expertly weaved through the sea of people with ease. "But I wouldn't like you any other way," he whispered to himself.

He smiled fondly down at her, enjoying her tinkling laughter. _"Thank you."_

* * *

Sango pulled her hair up into her trademark high ponytail. She stared at her reflection in her full-length mirror and practiced a smile. However, it never reached her hazel eyes. Her heart and her mind were not in synch, and the melancholy look in her eyes were a clear giveaway. 

She shook her head. No, she was not going to let Miroku ruin this outing with Kuranosuke. She took a deep breath to clear her thoughts. She was going to enjoy herself. She was not going to spoil her date with Kuranosuke on Miroku's account. She was better than that.

Bounding downstairs, she greeted Kuranosuke with a smile, something she hoped was convincing. "Were you waiting too long?" she asked apologetically.

Kuranosuke fondly beamed at her. He did not seem to notice the disconcerted look in her eyes. "Not really." He gave her a quick once over. "You look great," he complimented, his tone sincere. He held out an arm for her. "So, ready to go San-chan?" It was the pet name he used to call her when they were classmates in Taekwondo class. It had been years since he last called her that.

Despite Sango's inner turmoil, she could not help but beam sincerely this time. This was what she liked best about her Kuranosuke-sempai: he never failed to lift her spirits.

But as Kuranosuke's car pulled away from her house, Sango could not help but feel that she had left something important behind.

Her heart.

* * *

Miroku's brow creased as he tossed and turned in his fitful sleep. His eyes suddenly opened and he placed a hand over his eyes. His breathing was uneven and his head throbbed. 

_"It was just a dream," _he told himself. He swallowed thickly. In the haziness of sleep, he could have sworn that he heard Sango's voice bidding him goodbye.

_"Please no," _Miroku prayed. _"Let it be just a dream." _

"You're awake I see. Good."

Miroku removed the hand from his face and turned to where the voice came from. The bright morning sunlight illuminated the edges of the figure. From the broad shoulders and the deep voice Miroku realized it was Sango's father.

He quickly sat up in bed, making his head throb even more from his sudden movement. He was immediately able to piece two and two together. He was at Sango's house, probably in one of her family's guest rooms. Mr. Miyabe was here…but where was Sango? He scanned the room, secretly hoping she was sleeping at his bedside, but she was nowhere to be found. His heart beat painfully, a sense of foreboding rising in the pit of his stomach.

"She's not here." Masahiko Miyabe turned around as if reading his thoughts. "She went out with Kuranosuke Takeda. I'm sure you know him, Miroku-kun." He headed towards Miroku with purposeful, unhurried strides. His voice was calm, without a hint of rebuke as Miroku was anticipating. "I'm sorry if I disappointed you."

Miroku tried to smile. However, the disappointment of not seeing Sango in addition to hearing that she had gone out with Kuranosuke had somehow robbed him of his little strength. He slouched and closed his eyes painfully. "No, it's okay, Mr. Miyabe," he managed to drone out, trying to be polite.

Masahiko sat on the rattan chair beside the bed. "You're just like your father," he commented with a wry smile. "Both of you are not very good liars when caught off guard."

Miroku released a soft snort in response. It was the only sound he could make. He could not speak anymore.

There was a moment of uncomfortable silence.

"You broke your word," Masahiko noted, breaking the tensioned stillness. His brown eyes focused on Miroku's face, intent on reading his expression.

Miroku covered his face with his hands and sighed tiredly. "I did," he replied morosely.

"I told you to stay away from my daughter, Miroku-kun," Masahiko reminded, his voice even. But there was no trace of anger in his voice, as if he was studying Miroku, trying to gauge his reaction. "You gave your word a year ago, but it seems you changed your mind and decided to pursue her. Why? What made you break your promise? Was she that irresistible a challenge?"

Miroku lowered his hands and fisted them over the sheets. "I'm very sorry, Mr. Miyabe," he replied quietly. He then lifted his head up and looked at the older man straight in the eye. "I wasn't strong enough. In as much as I wanted to stay away from Sango, I couldn't help it. Everything about her draws me in; her smile, her personality, her eyes, everything." He smirked and looked away. "But I guess I could never win her heart."

The image of Sango's hurt, crying face replayed in his mind, quickly to be replaced with the image of Sango laughing alongside Kuranosuke. "But I guess it's all for the better."

Masahiko placed his palms together. "What you did last night was, to put it simply Miroku-kun, stupid," he commented. Miroku snorted as he hung his head. "Did you actually think you would impress her with a stunt like that?"

Miroku did not reply.

"But it certainly impressed _me_."

Miroku's head snapped up and looked at Masahiko with surprise.

Masahiko closed his eyes, an amused smirk on his lips. "It was completely idiotic, but you proved your point."

"My point?" Miroku frowned with confusion.

"That you truly loved my daughter." Masahiko opened his eyes and gazed at him with those wizened hazel orbs. "It took a lot of courage to go against me Miroku. But I realized your intentions were true when you willingly stood out there for God knows how long. You could easily have given up and found yourself an easy girl in her place, but you didn't. Frankly, only someone who is clearly love struck or unquestionably stupid would do that to themselves or go against a father's wishes even when he knows what the consequences are." A crooked smile appeared on his face at the dry humor.

This time Miroku was speechless from shock.

"Do you actually think I didn't know the great lengths you did just to be close to Sango?" Masahiko continued, amused at Miroku's expression. "I have someone at school that keeps track of her, don't be so surprised." He pressed his fingers together. "You passed Miroku."

Miroku looked on incredulously. "Passed?" he echoed, unsure what to make of it.

"I was testing you," Masahiko explained nonchalantly as if this was a normal rite of passage for teenage boys. "You passed."

"Aren't you the least concerned about my reputation?" Miroku inquired, still unsure if this was real or a trick.

Masahiko stood up. "Not all playboys remain playboys for life," he replied cryptically. "Like father like son, they say." He turned to leave the room. But before he reached out for the door knob, he looked over to Miroku. "But this time, it's not me who you should convince but Sango."

Masahiko motioned to the bedside table. It was only then that Miroku noticed a pale yellow envelope with his name leaning on the lampshade.

Miroku swallowed painfully as he reached out for it. The envelope was sealed, an indication that Sango's father had not read it.

"She's looking for something she feels you could never give her," Masahiko continued. "It's the reason she chose to go with Kuranosuke-kun." His brown eyes became serious and grave. "So if you truly love my daughter, you can do one of two things: you can either prove her wrong or let her go so someone else can truly make her happy."

Masahiko twisted the knob and left, leaving Miroku alone with his jumbled thoughts. One part of him wanted to rejoice that he got Sango's father's approval, but the other part simply wanted to break down as the odds of winning the girl of his dreams seemed slimmer than ever.

Miroku carefully pried the envelope open. It contained a familiar handkerchief and a very short note.

* * *

Kagome emerged out of the ride, knees wobbly and looking a bit green in the face. 

Inuyasha looked at him from the corner of his eyes. "Are you okay, Kagome?" He worriedly inquired. She looked really sick.

Kagome suddenly clapped her hand on her mouth and gagged. Dashing to the nearest trash bin in sight, she retched. She groaned weakly before another wave of dizziness came over her and made her puke again.

Inuyasha was instantly beside her. "I told you it was a bad idea to go on all those thrilling rides," he scolded her. He opened her backpack and handed her the small box of tissues he saw her use earlier. "On the seven fast rides we've had, three of those were roller coasters. You went into all those rides when you can't even tolerate the speeds and dizzying revolutions. Are you an adrenalin junkie or something?"

Kagome pulled her head out of the garbage bin and shakily sat down on the bench nearby. She groaned some more. "I swear," she muttered, "that's the last time I go into a ride involving spinning tea cups."

Inuyasha sweat-dropped beside her. "It was _your _idea that we go on that ride," he told her, leaning on the bench and resting his hands behind his head. "It's your fault you're currently puking your internal organs out."

Kagome looked at him dejectedly. "I only went to those rides because this was your first time in an amusement park," she explained. "I didn't want you to get bored so I took you to all the exciting rides."

Inuyasha's eyes widened, her words tugging at his heartstrings.

Kagome laughed sheepishly. "But I guess that wasn't such a good idea." She glanced at him, her eyes hopeful. "But so far though, are you enjoying our little outing? Did you like the rides?"

He snorted in amusement. "Yeah, I'm enjoying immensely," he answered as he ruffled her hair a bit, receiving a small cry of protest from Kagome. "But next time, let's go on less thrilling rides for your sake."

"But how about--" Kagome protested when Inuyasha cut her off.

"Look, Kagome," he interrupted gently. "You don't have to go out of your way just to see if I'm having fun or not. I'll enjoy whatever ride or attraction you choose. Don't worry about me so much."

His ears pricked up under his bandana when he heard Kagome's stomach grumble. He chuckled a bit. "I heard that, Kagome."

Kagome turned beet red in embarrassment and defensively clutched her abdomen.

Inuyasha suddenly grabbed her wrist. "Come on," he pulled her up. "Let's get you something to eat."

_

* * *

Little Inuyasha was on his hands and knees as he weaved through the rosebushes. Not far, his sharp ears could hear laughter and the harmonious duet of the grand piano and violin playing in the background. _

_But despite the seemingly gay atmosphere and beautiful music, he did not feel at ease. He wondered how long he and his mother were going to stay here. Every youkai he met here were giving him looks of disgust and contempt. The bushes he was hiding in gave him momentary refuge._

_As if to cheer him up, a blue butterfly appeared all of a sudden and softly landed on his nose. Blinking with surprise, Inuyasha stared at it for a few seconds, cross-eyed, before giving off a quiet laugh. _

_A soccer ball rolled to his leg, making him look down. His abrupt reaction caused the butterfly to flutter away and Inuyasha watched with sad golden eyes as it disappeared beyond the hedges. His ears drooped. He wished that he had wings just like the butterfly so he could fly away from this place. He was not comfortable here. _

_"Hey, you!"_

_Inuyasha turned to see a wolf youkai just about his age bounding over towards him. He timidly looked around, half expecting another youkai to be standing beside or behind him. Seeing no one, Inuyasha turned his gaze back at him, just in time to see the little wolf youkai skid to a halt a foot away._

_"Didn't you hear me?" The youkai looked a bit cross. "With those ears I would have thought you would have heard me a mile away." He tried to poke one of Inuyasha's dog ears for emphasis but Inuyasha hesitantly pulled away._

_The little youkai's bright blue eyes scanned him curiously as he hunched over to give Inuyasha a closer inspection. "Haven't seen you in any of the past family get-togethers," he noted. He sniffed at him. "You smell different too. Are you some very, very, very distant relative or something?" He continued to ogle at Inuyasha, making the hanyou feel uncomfortable. _

_In an effort to shift attention away from him, Inuyasha picked the soccer ball and hesitantly offered it back to him. The little wolf youkai straightened up and, much to Inuyasha's surprise, burst into a wide, toothy grin. _

_"You're not very talkative, are you?" He observed with an amused smirk. He took the soccer ball and tucked it under his arm. "I'm Kouga," he said as he extended his hand out to Inuyasha. "I'm the fastest runner in our kindergarten too, did you know?" he added boastfully. "And you're?"_

_"Inuyasha."_

_Kouga casually tossed and caught the ball on his right hand. "You wanna play?" he asked. _

_A smile slowly crept on little Inuyasha's face. "S-sure." _

_"Great!" Kouga's toothy grin became even wider. He excitedly grabbed Inuyasha at the wrist and started pulling him. "But we can't play in the bushes. Soccer should be played in a wide space." He looked over his shoulder at the hanyou. "You do know how to play soccer, right?"_

_Inuyasha bashfully shook his head. _

_Kouga shrugged it off. "Don't worry!" he exclaimed, exuding confidence as he released him. They had just emerged out of the bushes. "I'll just teach you! My teacher said I'm good in sports."_

_Little Inuyasha watched as his new playmate placed the ball on the ground. "First rule: Never touch the ball with your hands," Kouga began, wagging a finger authoritatively. _

_Inuyasha's gold eyes widened, curious. "Why?"_

_Kouga face-faulted. "I dunno," he admitted, scratching his cheek. "That's just the way it goes. Anyway--"_

_"Kouga-chan!" A sharp, stern voice suddenly called out from the distance._

_The two boys turned to see a female youkai walking over to them. She looked a bit like Kouga, making Inuyasha assume that she was Kouga's mother. She gave Inuyasha a scathing, once-over look before pulling at her son's ear. Kouga howled with pain._

_"How many times have I said not to wander off?" she reprimanded, not even bothering to keep her voice down. She pinched Kouga's ear even harder. "And haven't I told you not to talk to someone like--" she gave Inuyasha a look of disgust, "--_him_." _

_Kouga tried in vain to escape from her grasp. "I didn't know this was the person you were talking about!" he said defensively, tears spilling from his blue eyes from the pain. _

_The female wolf youkai released her grip on her son's ear and harshly brushed away the tears on Kouga's face. She turned to Inuyasha for a moment and gave the six-year old an icy, condescending glare, making Inuyasha flinch as if she had physically hit him._

_The female youkai then stood up. "Come Kouga," she said, her voice suddenly calm and cold. _

_Kouga, sniffling, grudgingly picked up his soccer ball before frowning at Inuyasha's direction. "Dog turd," he muttered with spite. He then took his mother's outstretched hand and headed off to where the rest of the guests were._

_The commotion seemed to have gotten the attention of the other youkais, who were all giving Inuyasha looks of disgust and revulsion. He could hear them whispering and knew they were talking about him. _

_Inuyasha stood there, numb. His vision started to get blurry as tears threatened to spill from his golden orbs. Why were these people so mean? What did he do to make them so angry?_

_Izayoi suddenly appeared in front of him, knelt down and engulfed him into a tight hug. _

_"It's okay, Inuyasha," Izayoi comforted him. "It's okay. I'm here." Picking him up, she took him away from the crowd, away from their discriminatory looks, away from their harsh words._

_His eyes suddenly widened. Tears. He could smell tears. But these were not his own. He hesitantly looked up but stopped halfway. He didn't want to see her crying. _

_Inuyasha balled his fists. He rubbed his eyes clear of his unshed tears. He was going to be strong--strong for his mother's sake._

_It was the last time he ever cried._

* * *

"Hey, Inuyasha." Kagome waved a hand in front of his face, making Inuyasha blink. 

He nonchalantly looked over to her and raised his brows in question.

"Are you okay?" she asked as she swirled her smoothie with her straw. "You've been spacing out."

Inuyasha snorted and took a large bite of his hotdog sandwich, which had everything on it. "It's nothing," he shrugged off. Seeing the skeptical look on Kagome's face, he washed his food down with large gulp of soda. "I was simply wondering how someone as small as you could eat so much."

Kagome glowered at him while turning into various shades of red. Inuyasha idly enjoyed seeing her embarrassed. It was amusing.

"Well, since I puked all of my breakfast, I got really hungry," she retorted in defense.

Inuyasha smirked, a nonverbal gesture suggesting that he didn't believe her. "Right," he answered. He finished his lunch. "Whatever you say, Kagome."

The pretty raven-haired girl puffed her cheeks in annoyance.

Inuyasha's gaze then wondered off into the distance, making Kagome stop and wonder what he was so preoccupied with.

_

* * *

Little Inuyasha looked up timidly from his hiding spot behind his mother. He had seen this male youkai with silver hair only twice or thrice before. He looked kind and good-natured, unlike the majority of the youkais he had encountered in this mansion._

_Izayoi bent over to him. "Go on, Inuyasha," she prodded him gently. "Go to your father." Inuyasha hesitantly stepped forward from behind his mother's legs. "Go on, Inu-chan."_

_The handsome youkai in front of them crouched down and outstretched his arms, a quiet gesture for Inuyasha to come to him. He gave Inuyasha a warm smile. _

_Inuyasha slowly headed towards him and tentatively reached out for his extended hand. _

_"My, how much you've grown," his father voiced out affectionately. He put a hand on Inuyasha's head and ruffled his silver hair. "And you look just like me too," he added, giving Izayoi a wink, making her smile. _

_Inuyasha found himself grinning, quickly feeling at ease with him. He looked down at his father's hand and realized it was just a bigger version of his own. _

_"So how are you, Inuyasha?" his father asked, making him look up. His could see his reflection clearly in those honey-colored eyes, eyes that completely mirrored his own. They were warm and kind, and full of affection. _

_"W-well school's oka--"_

_Inuyasha's reply was suddenly cut short by a harsh, rough scream. "What is the meaning of this, Akira?!" The clap of a cane pounding down on the marble floor echoed throughout the room. _

_Inuyasha, who had jumped at the sudden sound, looked over the doorway to see an old female youkai, bent with age and holding a cane on one hand for support, looking angrily at his father. Without warning, she was suddenly overcome with a fit of coughing from the exertion. A helper immediately rushed to her side._

_The old youkai violently motioned the maid away as she regained her composure. Her look was steely and piercing. "You are the sole heir of the vast Takahashi empire," she ground out, her voice scratchy and hoarse. "You have already put our family to shame by divorcing Sesuna. Sesuna, who came from a noble youkai family! And now you even dare to bring the human you are having an affair with in this house?!"_

_Akira stood up and clenched his fists but said nothing. Inuyasha noticed his expression had become stony. The spark in his eyes had disappeared. _

_The old female youkai's golden orbs flickered down at Inuyasha. Unlike Akira's, her eyes held no warmth at all. Her topaz eyes felt like steel, cold, hard and uncaring. _

_She gave off a snort. "So that's the hanyou, eh?" she sneered. _

_Inuyasha felt small and vulnerable under her gaze and quickly dashed behind his mother. Izayoi put a hand gently on his head, a gesture of her motherly protectiveness. Inuyasha noticed that his mother's hand was trembling slightly. Whether it was from anger, fear, or some other emotion, he could not tell._

_The old youkai continued to look at Inuyasha. Her gaze was scathing. "Your illegitimate son, I presume?" _

_Akira turned to her. "Yes, okaa-sama," he muttered quietly. His voice was clipped, as if he was trying to control himself from doing anything brash._

_The old youkai's expression darkened even more and her sharp claws dug into her wooden cane from her iron grip. "If it weren't for you father's will, I would have disinherited you a long time ago!" she growled. "If only your father could see you now, Akira! You're a disgrace to the Takahashi name! You even taint our noble blood by having a--a--" she seemed utterly repulsed to say the word, "--hanyou son!" Before she could rant any more, she burst into more coughing fits. Her violent hacks echoed through the large room._

_It was only then that Inuyasha noticed that he was clinging to his mother's skirt tightly. The old youkai, even as she was bent with age and sickly, still frightened him. Inuyasha wondered if this old youkai was indeed very powerful, as no one seemed brave enough to stand up to her. _

_He suddenly felt a soft hand encircle his and realized his mother was gently pulling him along. Izayoi had found this time appropriate for them to leave._

_Inuyasha turned back to see Akira watching them go, his golden eyes pained. Their identical eyes locked on each other for a brief moment before Akira bowed down, hiding his eyes with his thick veil of silver hair._

_Inuyasha stared down as he allowed his mother to lead him away. Was that really his father? If he was, why couldn't he protect his family? _

_Why couldn't he protect his mother…or him?_

* * *

Inuyasha's reverie was interrupted when Kagome tugged his arm. 

"Is something bothering you, Inuyasha?" she inquired, her beautiful features etched with worry. The large, pink cotton candy on her other hand forgotten as she stared up at him intently. "Aren't you feeling well?"

Inuyasha snorted. "I'm fine," he retorted, his answer coming out harsher than he intended. He mentally hit himself when he noticed Kagome flinch. In a gentler voice he added, "You worry too much. I'm okay, _really_."

Kagome timidly took a small bite of her cotton candy. "You look like something's troubling you," she observed. "Did I do something to piss you off? I'm sor--"

Before she could finish her apology, Inuyasha cut her off by placing his index finger softly on her lips, effectively shutting her up. Her cheeks immediately flushed red at the unexpected contact, her blue eyes wide with surprise and embarrassment. Inuyasha, just realizing what he just did, pulled his finger away, an identical blush rising on his cheeks.

"Sorry," he mumbled, jamming his hands to his pocket. "But you were going to apologize again for something you didn't do." He sighed before a small, crooked smile appeared on his gorgeous face. "What am I going to do with such a worrywart?" he wondered aloud, flicking her nose playfully, gently. Kagome pouted at him in response. "What I was thinking about has nothing to do with you. Don't worry yourself too much for my sake. Next thing you know you'll be blaming me for your premature frown lines."

"Hey!"

Inuyasha chuckled. "I promise I won't space out again." He eyed her bundle of cotton candy. "Geez, Kagome, I swear you're going to get cavities from eating too much sweets."

Kagome stuck her tongue out in retaliation. She then spotted the line of stalls offering fluffy stuffed toys as prizes for winning games.

"Since you owe me for spacing out, what do say you pay for all the games I'm going to play?" she proposed with a sly smile.

Inuyasha rolled her eyes. "I already paid for all you ate, might as well pay for everything else."

Kagome grinned. "These are the times I'm happy to have a such a rich person as company."

"I'm sure you do."

Inuyasha let himself get dragged by Kagome to the stall lined with plushies of all colors, shapes and sizes.

"Yosh!" Kagome psyched herself as Inuyasha paid for her game. "I'm going to win that plushie, mark my words!" Inuyasha looked over to where Kagome was pointing at and smirked when he saw that she was aiming to win the three foot replica of the plushy cat at Tensaiga Malls. Figures. He should have known Kagome was still obsessed with that large stuffed toy.

Inuyasha watched with mild interest as Kagome was handed five rubber balls. The game was simple enough. All she had to do was knock down three rubber duckies moving on a conveyor belt. To make the game a bit challenging, rubber swans and chickens were also added along with the ducks. Inuyasha crossed his arms on his chest. This was simple. He gazed at Kagome and was amused at her intense concentration. Surely with her amazing marksmanship in archery there was no way she could miss.

How wrong he was.

Inuyasha forgot that archery and hitting small plastic ducks on a moving treadmill were different things altogether.

When Kagome's first try, which seemed to defy all laws of physics as it ricocheted about the small stall, landed on the ice cream cone pile of a kid innocently walking past them, Inuyasha could only blink in disbelief. Kagome was utterly and hopelessly pathetic at hitting moving targets. Even if they were six feet tall and standing just a foot away from her, the ball she threw would probably skew and boomerang back to her.

"Nooo!" Kagome's agonized scream rang in his sharp ears.

He sweat-dropped. Unbelievably, Kagome managed to miss every duck, swan and chicken on the conveyor belt, even managing to hit the stall owner standing on the corner twice. He wondered if she had forgotten to wear her contacts or was missing on purpose. No one could possibly be _this_ bad. But then again, with Kagome's horrendous record in hand-eye coordination (or the unbelievable lack thereof) in PE class, this was probably expected.

As he paid for another round of the game, Inuyasha sighed.

By the determined look on Kagome's face and her bad aim, Inuyasha had a feeling they were going to be here for a long, LONG while.

* * *

Kuranosuke watched as Sango concentrated on the 14th hole of the mini-golf course. With practiced control, she hit the golf ball and watched with baited breath as it just barely got through the windmill blades, zigzagged about the plastic houses, circled around the hole…and then just stopped short of going in. 

Kuranosuke stifled a chuckle as Sango groaned. He watched as she stomped over to the stubborn golf ball and easily putted it down the hole. Heading back to him, she ticked her score card and took a peek at his.

"I'm just two hits behind you, sempai," she announced brightly. "I will pass you, just wait."

Kuranosuke's coffee-colored eyes twinkled. "You can try," he returned, feigning an air of bravado.

Sango laughed before she bounded over to the next hole while Kuranosuke stayed behind, watching her retreating figure. His eyes became worried, uneasy. Although Sango acted bubbly, something felt wrong. Her smile and laughter felt forced. He had known her for years since they went to the same Taekwondo school during their elementary days and could often detect the subtle hints if Sango was not feeling well.

Kuranosuke could not help but speculate that Miroku Kanzaki had something to do with Sango's current behavior. His grip on his golf club tightened and he yearned to use it to smash a certain playboy's head with.

_"Damn it, Kanzaki,"_ he mentally swore. _"What did you do to her this time?"_

His angry musings were interrupted when Sango called his attention. "Sempai!" she waved at him. "What are you waiting for? It's your turn."

Kuranosuke gave her a soft smile and headed over to her, all the while making a mental vow. He was going to do everything in his power to make sure Miroku would never hurt her again. Sango was too good for the likes of Miroku. She deserved better. She deserved to be happy.

And he was going to do everything just to make her happy.

* * *

Inuyasha tapped his foot impatiently. After eight tries, the most Kagome could do was hit one measly duck. Sure it was hilarious in the beginning to see her miss but after several more tries, it was starting to become annoying and boring. 

"Another round!" Kagome announced as her last ball hit a plastic chicken.

Inuyasha groaned. "That's enough, damn it!" Paying the stall owner for a fresh batch of rubber balls, he wasted no time hitting five ducks (even if he only needed to hit three). Yanking the large plushy from its display area even before the stall owner realized he had hit more than the desired number of fowls, he shoved it into Kagome's hands. "Here's your blasted cat."

Kagome scowled at him. "I wanted to be the one to win the plushy!" she protested.

Inuyasha's eyes turn half-lidded with annoyance. "With the way you were aiming, we'd probably be here all night," he countered.

Kagome huffed, unable to refute his logic, before staring down at the stuffed toy in her arms. "This isn't the one I want," she murmured when she realized the plush she was holding.

"Weren't you pointing at the cat?" Inuyasha asked, brows furrowed.

Kagome gave him a mysterious smile as she shook her head. She turned back to the store owner and pointed at another stuffed toy close to where the Tensaiga cat was located. Inuyasha looked on with bewilderment as she turned around and showed him the plushie she wanted. It was a snow white plush dog with pointed triangular ears and butterscotch eyes.

"Inuyasha, meet Inu-chan," she giggled, holding the dog up to him.

Inuyasha's lips curled into an entertained smirk. "Pretty original name for a dog, don't you think?"

Kagome hugged the plushy tightly. "He reminds me of someone," she answered simply. She pressed her cheeks against the toy doll's fur and laughed. "Wai, Inu-chan is just so cute!" she gushed. "And he's so soft too!"

Inuyasha could not help but blush. He knew Kagome was referring to the plushy, but still Inu-chan _is _his nickname. And he could not help but think he was the person Kagome was reminded of. He suddenly snorted; he was being narcissistic. Kagome knew a lot of people. She was probably referring to another person. But something inside Inuyasha badly wished that that person was _him_.

"Thank you, Inuyasha," Kagome said. She flashed him a grateful smile.

Inuyasha suddenly found his heart beat speeding up and a new blush spreading on his cheeks. "Yeah, well…" he grasped for words. "You have a bad aim. Someone needed to interfere eventually." He forced a cough to hide his embarrassment.

* * *

Kikyo let the serenity of the gurgling stream bring her inner peace. She was hunched over the small koi pond in their large garden. She tossed a few breadcrumbs and watched the blur of white, orange and red colored fishes swarm beneath her hand, eager for food. 

It was calm here, quiet. It was far better than staying inside the house and listening to her mother argue with her stepfather. This was one of those rare occasions when her mother had the courage to put her foot down against her stepfather's will. It was not pleasant and she did not want to stay and watch them hurl hurtful words at each other.

A shadow appeared behind her. From the reflection in the water, Kikyo immediately recognized who it was. But she was in no mood to humor him so she remained oblivious to his presence. She sprinkled a handful of crumbs at the koi again, internally grateful the ripples they produced removed Naraku's watery reflection.

"Jealousy is a powerful emotion," Naraku said as he casually stood behind her. "Don't you agree, dear sister?"

Kikyo did not reply.

"Jealousy is a dark and ugly emotion that brings out the worst in people," Naraku continued, unperturbed by the cold shoulder Kikyo was giving him. "At other times it can make people realize their hidden feelings. But if you play your cards right, you can use jealousy to your advantage too."

He picked up a stone and threw it directly at the koi gathered near Kikyo. The fish scattered, making Kikyo look up at him coldly.

"Jealousy, my dear sister, can be your weapon or your downfall." Naraku's dark red orbs glinted, as if he was on the verge of spilling a juicy secret. "Do you want to know how your beloved Inuyasha used jealousy, Kikyo?"

* * *

Kagome shifted her weight from one foot to the other and waited for Inuyasha to come back. After his awkward reaction with the dog plushie, he deftly changed the topic by asking if he could get her anything. Suddenly feeling embarrassed by Inuyasha's reaction to her calling the stuff plushy "Inu-chan," she told him she was hungry for pretzel. Faster than you can say "Kaze no Kizu" Inuyasha had disappeared into the crowd. 

Kagome looked down at the stuffed toy she was cradling. "Maybe it wasn't such a good idea to call you 'Inu-chan' in front of him," she realized as her cheeks grew hot. "He probably thinks I was teasing him." Or worse, he probably suspected that she liked him. Kagome hid her burning face behind the plush. She suddenly felt mortified beyond belief. Why did she have to blabber like that? She should have kept that to herself. Stupid, stupid.

"Hey, girl with the dog plushy," somebody suddenly called.

Kagome peeked from the fur to see a woman in her twenties calling her from a nearby stall. Lowering the plush , she pointed at herself as she blinked curiously.

The woman maintained that jovial smile. "Yes you."

Kagome headed over to the lady's stall and noticed it did not contain any parlor games, just a poster of the possible prizes, which included among other things, more stuffed toys, three foot long chocolate bars, goodie bags and a grand prize of a trip for two to Hong Kong with pocket money to boot.

The lady began her rehearsed speech. "On its opening month, Kaze no Kizu aims to give its first customers not only the best amusement rides and entertainment around, but a chance to win fabulous prizes as well!" She pointed at the large poster behind her before peering down at Kagome. "It's free. All you have to do is draw out a ball from the box. Everyone's a guaranteed winner!"

Kagome shrugged. What has she got to lose? After getting her amusement park ticket stamped, the lady held out a cardboard box to her. She would win a prize depending on the color she pulled out.

Dumping her hand inside the box, Kagome bit her lip as the marble-sized plastic balls passed through her fingers. Picking up a random ball, she pulled it out and showed it to the lady. It was a gold-colored one.

"Aw," the lady's face pouted in disappointment. "Too bad it wasn't the crystal one. You could have won the trip." Her face lit up. "But you got the next best thing."

The lady disappeared into the back of the stall and reemerged carrying a small blue velvet box. Eyeing the box with curiosity, Kagome lifted the lid. Her eyes widened.

"If you're wondering, yes that is authentic," the lady explained. "It's almost as expensive as the trip itself. You're a very lucky girl."

Kagome smiled. She knew exactly what she was going to do with this.

"Oi, Kagome! There you are!"

Kagome stifled a surprised squeak before she hastily shut the box and tried to inconspicuously put it in her yellow backpack. She ended up looking like someone having a spasm attack. She zipped her bag shut just as Inuyasha reached her side.

* * *

"Do you want to know how your beloved Inuyasha used jealousy, Kikyo?" 

"No," Kikyo deadpanned. She did not want to know, if it came from her Naraku, at least.

Kikyo was in no mood to talk to her vile stepbrother, not now, not ever. But much as she wanted her stepbrother to leave, a part of her wanted to listen to what he would say regarding Inuyasha. As expected, Naraku did not get her hint that she wanted to be alone, or he simply ignored the undertone she tried to convey.

"In Inuyasha's case, he used it as a weapon," he continued as if he did not hear her. "Are you a jealous person, Kikyo?"

"No," Kikyo answered stiffly. She did not like where this was heading.

"Are you sure? Operation MKJ seemed to be going smoothly as planned if you ask me," Naraku drawled.

Kikyo hated the way he seemed to know so much; hated the way he baited her and lured her in with bits of cryptic information. But now that she thought about it, she had heard Miroku mention this operation once to Inuyasha when the former visited them in class.

"Tell me honestly, aren't you even just a bit jealous of Kagome Higurashi?" Naraku's tireless taunting continued. "What was that rooftop incident about, or that archery competition? That wasn't very friendly behavior towards your ex-boyfriend's new girl."

Kikyo's jaw tightened inconspicuously. Guilt seeped into her when she remembered what she did to Kagome at the rooftop. She didn't even know what came over her to make her do such an unbecoming act. Maybe she was a jealous person as Naraku said.

"Inuyasha's scheme of making you jealous using Kagome is working perfectly." Naraku's dark red eyes danced at her discomfort. "It's not hard to do, especially since you still have feelings for that half-breed."

Kikyo stiffened, to the point that she had not noticed Naraku's racial jibe at Inuyasha. After their talk at the coffee shop, she had suspected that Inuyasha and Kagome were simply pretending to make her jealous, but it seemed so silly that she disregarded the idea. Why would they go through the trouble? Kikyo was about to find out.

"What some would do to get back people they love are pathetic." Naraku chuckled darkly. "I have to give that hanyou some credit. The scheme was so simple and moronic but it worked."

Kikyo's usually cool façade broke. Her usually stoic features were filled with disbelief. So that was what MKJ meant. Make Kikyo Jealous. Make _her _jealous. Even after what she did to him, Inuyasha still wanted her back. Flattered as she was that Inuyasha went to all that lengths to win her again, guilt and regret also gnawed her inside.

Naraku placed a hand over his lips. "Oops," he said without a tiny hint of contrition. "I slipped."

* * *

Kagome rested her chin on top of her dog plushy's head as she stared at Inuyasha, who was sitting oppisite her on the Ferris Wheel cabin. He was absently looking at the view outside as the Ferris Wheel slowly ascended. The soft, late afternoon sun filtered through the glass windows, bathing Inuyasha with an ethereal golden glow. Despite the fact that Kagome was not the type to stare, she could not help but do so in Inuyasha's case. He just looked so beautiful and princely. He was handsome as a human, but as a hanyou, he seemed liked chiseled perfection. 

"When you're done staring, just let me know."

Kagome blinked and realized Inuyasha was looking at her from the corner of his eye. Turning to face her fully, he looked at her with an amused expression, his lips curled into crooked smile.

Kagome hastily bowed and muttered a quick apology, before hiding behind her plush dog from mortification. He had caught her staring at him. Again. As if it wasn't humiliating enough to be caught staring at him while he pretended to be asleep.

Inuyasha tilted his head. "Is my face really that alluring to you?"

His voice alone told Kagome he was extremely amused. Kagome wanted to sink lower into her seat. If only it was possible to escape…except she was suspended a hundred meters above ground.

Kagome squirmed in her seat, aware of his topaz eyes on her. "It's just amazing how you look so different," he answered, not looking at him. "It's like I'm looking at another person altogether. You look so flawless and beautiful it's almost unreal…almost godly."

"Godly, huh?" Inuyasha tried to stifle the amused grin on his face.

Kagome felt her face heat up. Sometimes she wished she was more articulate. _Godly_. What was she thinking? "But when I look closer, your eyes, your smile tell me you're still the Inuyasha I know." She found the courage to look up at him and noticed he was listening closely. "It's just remarkable to me how one person can look so drastically different and yet be the same."

"So you think I'd be different just because I'm in my hanyou form?"

"Not really," Kagome admitted. "It just takes a bit of getting used to. Human or hanyou form, I don't really mind." Her fingers traced small circles on Inu-chan's soft fur. "But I'm just wondering though why you would want to hide who you really are. You're fine the way you are as a hanyou."

Inuyasha leaned back on his seat and sighed deeply. "It's a long story, Kagome," he told her, looking outside the window. He grimaced as he reached for the base of his neck where the beaded necklace was currently absent. "Not everyone is as kind as you are."

_

* * *

Seven year old Inuyasha watched in fascination at the strange beaded necklace that dangled in front of him._

_"Are you sure this is what you want, Inuyasha?" Kaede inquired. Even as she was stooped with age, the wrinkled hand that held the necklace remained steady. The beads looked harmless, but Inuyasha's hanyou senses told him of the great power they contained._

_At one corner of the room, Izayoi watched on intently as Kaede talked to her son. The old woman was a miko who owned a growing ramen eatery. She was also Izayoi's godmother._

_Inuyasha regarded the beaded necklace again. He had expected something more impressive looking and was disappointed when Kaede presented him with this horrendous looking string of beads. But then again, he was not after the necklace for its appearance. He was after it for what it could do._

_"Are you sure, Inuyasha?" Kaede repeated._

_Inuyasha took a deep breath, remembering all the scathing looks, the insults and other acts of cruelty he and his mother had received. But the most vivid memory that came into his mind was his father just watching…watching while an old youkai verbally maltreated him and his mother and he did nothing to defend them. Absolutely nothing. _

_Inuyasha clenched his fists. "I'm sure." His voice held no trace of uncertainty._

_Kaede glanced at Izayoi, who nodded._

_"How strange that this is what you want on your birthday," the old woman mumbled. She bent down and easily slipped the necklace around his neck._

* * *

"I'm sorry," Kagome murmured. 

Maybe it was not such a good idea to have brought up that topic regarding Inuyasha's lineage, or his choice to remain human instead of hanyou. It was a sensitive issue that Inuyasha obviously did not like talking about, and now he was probably angry with her for intruding. Kagome hugged her plushy tighter, feeling guilty. The silence that hung between them felt stifling.

Inuyasha gave off an exasperated sigh. "There you go again, apologizing." He looked at her, slightly annoyed. "You should really stop doing that. You didn't do anything wrong."

Kagome remained quiet.

Inuyasha suddenly stood up and knelt in front of her, much to Kagome's surprise. "Look, I'm sorry if I'm such a moody, obnoxious bastard," he muttered. "I can't help it sometimes. But please don't assume that you are to blame, because you're not. Stop being too hard on yourself." A smirk formed on his lips. "It's getting on my nerves watching you squirm. You look like an annoyingly uncute jellyfish."

Kagome could not help but giggle. Of all the possible objects, he had the gall to compare her to a jellyfish. She then remembered something and placed the dog plush beside her as she rummaged through her backpack. She held out the velvet box to him.

Inuyasha blinked. "What's that?"

"I won it while you were out getting me a pretzel." She opened it up, making the heart-shaped gold pendant glow brilliantly in the sunlight. "It's my way of saying 'thank you' for your company."

Inuyasha looked taken aback. "You really didn't have to," he responded. He glanced at the jewelry again. "And it's too…_girly_."

Kagome pouted, looking extremely disappointed. "I see. Well…" she faltered.

Inuyasha resisted the urge to throw his hands up in the air. Damn this girl's power over him. "Fine, fine. I'll take it."

Kagome could not help but beam appreciatively. "Open it," she instructed.

Inuyasha did as he was told. So it was not simply a heart pendant, he realized as he took it out of the box, it was a locket. He admired the intricate flower engraving on the cover before carefully prying it open. Much to his astonishment, he saw his picture on one side of the locket. The other side remained empty.

"You should place the picture of the one you love on the other side," Kagome told him. She was about to mention Kikyo but she caught herself in time. She did not want Inuyasha going into one of his depressive moods again, since the mere mention of Kikyo's name had that effect on him. "That way, you can always have that person close to your heart wherever you may be."

"Where did you get this picture?"

Kagome stiffened. That was certainly not the question she was expecting. The portrait of the human Inuyasha that she had placed on the locket was the printed photo of the wallpaper she used on her cell phone. It was her favorite picture of Inuyasha. A candid shot she took when Inuyasha was being dragged away by Shippou. Despite his protests that he did not want to play with the fox kit, the fond smile that appeared on his face when he thought no one was looking told her then that Inuyasha was nowhere near as obnoxious as he made himself appear to be.

Kagome twiddled her fingers nervously. "Ah, well, I had some pictures in my wallet…lying around." Inuyasha looked at her with eyes half-lidded, clearly not buying her explanation. "Given by Miroku…and, erm…Izayoi-san…To make it more believable that I'm your…girlfriend. _Pretend _girlfriend, I mean," she added hastily. No way was she going to admit she took that picture of him. She'd rather be thrown into a snake pit than be on the hot seat.

Inuyasha let it slide and moved to put the locket around his neck. Seeing he had trouble attaching the lock, Kagome did it for him.

"And I guess while you can't wear your beaded necklace yet, this will be its substitute for the time being, neh?" Kagome said lightly.

Inuyasha snorted, smirking.

The door of their Ferris Wheel cabin opened unexpectedly. The two suddenly found themselves being ogled at by people lining up for the ride.

"Did he just propose to her?" One woman in the front of the line asked the Ferris Wheel attendant. More heads popped in to see what was going on in their cabin.

"I think they were making out," another voice supplied.

The two teenagers suddenly realized their compromising position. He was kneeling in front of her. She still had her hands on his shoulders since she had just put the necklace on him. They looked very intimate, as if sharing a complete lovey-dovey moment.

Inuyasha and Kagome immediately turned into perfect tomato imitations, their faces filled with horror.

"HELL NO!"

It took only five milliseconds for them to be ten feet away from each other.

* * *

Sango turned to Kuranosuke and flashed him a brilliant, genuine smile when his car slowed to a stop by the Miyabe gates. "Thank you very much, sempai," she said, unbuckling her seatbelt. "I had a great time." She meant that. 

Surprisingly, after a rough start, her date with her sempai turned out to be better than she expected. For the whole day she had forgotten her personal troubles as Kuranosuke, after their mini-golf tourney, treated her to lunch and took her to a butterfly sanctuary and garden at the outskirts of the city.

Kuranosuke gave her a small smile. "I'm glad you enjoyed it. Until next time then?" he asked hopefully.

"Of course." Sango nodded.

She waved goodbye and watched him speed off before letting out a sigh. Now that their date was over and she was once again back home, the light fuzzy feeling in her chest evaporated. Returning home meant being reminded of Miroku, someone she wished she could forget.

Speaking of Miroku, she wondered if she was still in her house. She crossed her fingers secretly and hoped not. Her traitorous heart, however, was wishing the opposite.

"Sango."

She instantly froze on her tracks and her pulse sped up. Why was he still here?

She looked over to the garden chairs at their front lawn corner. Miroku had just stood up from one of the chairs and was now walking towards her. How long had he been waiting?

Sango stood rooted on the spot, watching him cross the distance between them. He had probably gone home to change, seeing as he had different clothes on. In the late afternoon sunlight, he looked as if he was giving off on orange glow. He looked perfect, as usual, but his face looked troubled. His eyes had lost their luster and he did not have his usual confident smile. It was as if he had grown older overnight.

A gentle breeze blew, sweeping some stray locks of Sango's hair across her face. Much to her surprise, Miroku reached over and tucked the loose locks behind her ear.

"I love it when you have your hair down," he told her quietly, a small gentle smile on his face. Much to Sango's chagrin, a traitorous blush colored her cheeks. She hoped that the orange light hid how flustered she was.

Miroku's smile suddenly faltered and he put down his hand. "I'm not a very patient person," he began. "Did you know that? I'm used to getting what I want immediately. And I always get what I want…until I met you."

Sango did not reply.

"Do you remember when we first met? It wasn't in school." Miroku looked to the side, a bittersweet smile in his lips as he reminisced. "I don't think you remember though. It was during Inuyasha's mother's party more than a year ago. We were reaching for the same champagne glass, remember?"

Sango's eyes widened in response. He was right. She didn't remember it at all. She was too preoccupied with her date then, Kuranosuke. How could Miroku even remember such a fleeting meeting?

"When I saw you then, I remembered thinking that you were the most beautiful girl I have ever laid my eyes on." His blue eyes focused back on her. "You still are, in fact."

If it was even possible, Sango's eyes widened even more from disbelief.

"But your father noticed, and made me promise never to pursue you." Miroku's eyes became downcast. "But I wanted so much to see you. Even if I couldn't have you, I just wanted to be close to you. I wished to see you smile, laugh and even glance my way just once."

"I was thrilled when you enrolled in Shikon Gakuen. You know that bastard who switched sections with Kagome? That was me." Miroku looked at her guiltily. "And I wasn't truly being honest when I said I enrolled in the same cram school as you because my father made me. In fact, I was the one who pestered him to enroll me there. The circumstance that none of my fan girls went there was a mere coincidental plus."

Sango could not move. He had been admiring her for that long?

"I seemed to be a bit like a stalker, aren't I?" Miroku chuckled, but his tone seemed sad. "I respect your father greatly so I tried to honor my promise. But even when I dated socialites, models, and some of the most beautiful ladies in Japan, my thoughts still drifted back to you. I could never forget you. But all I could do was admire you from afar. It's frustrating. What made it worst is that you never even seem to notice that I existed." He forced a laugh, remembering their first year as classmates. "Pathetic that someone like me can't even get the attention of the girl I liked."

His eyes caught hers. Sango could see the swirl of raging emotions that he tried to control inside.

"I sometimes wished you were one of my fan girls, but I know you never thought very highly of me. It was my undoing, I guess. You're smart and you know better, and as such would never fall for a playboy like me." Miroku's expression was grim. "Imagine my surprise when I overheard Kagome saying you had a crush on me. My control crumbled. I saw this as an opportunity to get close to you."

"I've made lots of mistakes and I know you deserve someone better. But it hurts for me to think that I have let the opportunity to love you pass me by. I know you said in that letter that the damage has been done, but can you give me another chance?" Miroku looked at her imploringly. "Give me another opportunity to prove myself, Sango."

Sango clenched her fists. Inside, various emotions whirled, vying for dominance. Her brain was telling her one thing, while her heart another. She was confused. She shut her eyes tightly. This was not the time to be indecisive. She had already made her decision and she was determined to stick with it.

"No." Sango's voice came out clear and strong, which surprised even her. She looked straight in his eyes. "No more, Miroku."

Miroku was rigid for a moment before a tight smile flitted on his lips. "I see," he replied evenly. He bowed slightly, making his bangs cover his eyes. "If that's what you wish." He took a deep shaky breath. "I'm sorry if I hurt you. But don't worry, I won't bother you again."

He then lifted his head up, making Sango see that his eyes have become misty. He gave her a sad smile. "But for what it was worth, my feelings for you will never change. You were the girl I was searching for all this time and I was stupid to have driven you away. I'm in love with you, Sango. I always will be, that much I'm sure."

Sango stifled a gasp. Her brain was still reeling with the fact that he had just professed that he loved her. It was not the same compulsory "I love you" he said to his girlfriends. Sango's gut told her he was telling the truth. He did love her. Truly. Deeply.

Miroku took a step back. "I wish you all the happiness in the world," he said sincerely. "Goodbye, Sango."

Sango remained unmoving as Miroku left. A part of her wanted to chase after him and take back what she said, but the more dominant part of her stubbornly stayed put. When he had gone, she went directly to her room, ignoring Kohaku and almost toppling a ceramic vase in her wake.

It was only in her room did she let the tears spill.

Outside, twilight began to fall.

* * *

Kagome hummed to herself as she let the sat by the wooden walkway of the shrine building. It was a beautiful, cool night. The fireflies danced around her and the pale light of the crescent moon bathed the still grounds with a ghostly white glow. She wrapped the woolen shawl tighter around her. She wished he was here to see this. 

The sound of footsteps caught her attention. She turned to see her grandfather walking towards her with a tray of tea.

"It's a beautiful evening, isn't it?" Grandpa Higurashi greeted as he set down the tray. He poured tea for the two of them.

"You shouldn't have bothered, Grandpa!" Kagome exclaimed, flustered. "You shouldn't have gone through the trouble of taking tea to me."

The old man smiled toothlessly. "It's no trouble at all, Kagome-chan."

Kagome's expression softened. It had been a while since her grandfather last called her by that endearment. She accepted the cup of tea from her grandfather with a soft 'thank you'.

"With the way you're smiling, I assume you've had a terrific time with him today," her grandfather voiced out as he took a sip of his tea. "I'm glad to know he makes you happy."

A small smile flitted on Kagome's lips. Yes, she enjoyed being with Inuyasha. He may be a little rough around the edges, but overall he was sweet, kind and protective. She suddenly felt a dull ache on her chest. But his heart belonged to someone else, and it wasn't her.

"Do you know where you got your name from, Kagome?" Grandpa Higurashi asked as he swirled his drink.

Kagome shook her head.

Grandpa Higurashi motioned towards the Goshinbuko tree a few yards away. "The miko in the legend, her name was said to be Kagome," he narrated. "But as you already know, she died in the hands of her beloved hanyou."

Kagome listened, her interest suddenly piqued. Why was her grandfather suddenly retelling her this legend?

"I never finished the story." The old man looked at her from the corner of his eye. "Overcome with guilt, the hanyou wandered the earth until he died with a broken heart. But there is a popular story that says this hanyou eventually found a youkai whom he had a family with, but he never forgot his first love, the miko.

"Through the centuries, the family he built accumulated so much wealth and power it came to be feared and respected. The later generations were proud to be youkais and upheld the superiority of having pure youkai blood. Very few in the family, and even fewer outside, knew this proud clan of daiyoukais was established by a 'lowly' hanyou."

Kagome's grandfather took another sip of his tea. "That hanyou died a few centuries ago. But before he died, he visited this Goshinbuko and vowed that he and his beloved miko will definitely meet again, at a better time and place."

Kagome stared at her tea, relishing the warmth of the cup between her hands as she continued to listen.

"Do you know the family this hanyou had built?"

The words escaped Kagome's lips even before she had a chance to think about it. "The Takahashis."

"Correct." Her grandfather beamed.

Kagome spun around. "What has that got to do with me and Inuyasha?"

Grandpa Higurashi poured himself another cup of tea. "Your grandmother was instrumental that you be named 'Kagome'," he murmured, smiling, as he reminisced. "She was a miko when she was younger and was known for her prophecies."

Kagome frowned slightly. "So you think Inuyasha and me are reincarnations of the characters in the legend?" she asked, trying to hide her disbelief. Okay, she loved the legend, but her being part of it was actually too unbelievable and convenient to be true.

"I don't know." Grandpa Higurashi shrugged. "That's why I leave it to you to decide." He offered her a plate of fortune cookies. "But you know, Kagome, there are no such things as 'chance' meetings. You are destined to meet the people you are supposed to meet."

Kagome could only smile. If only that were true. It was romantic to think that perhaps she and Inuyasha were indeed meant to meet…but them destined to fall in love, she was not so sure of. She sighed. If only it were that simple.

She cracked the fortune cookie open and silently read the contents of the small paper. She was not one to believe in fortunes coming from Chinese cookies but she could not help the feeling of apprehension that rose from the pit of her stomach after she read it.

_"All good things must come to an end."_

**

* * *

**

**Next on The Substitute:**

_**::A spotlight shines on the middle of the stage. Sailor Helios is tied to a wooden chair, blindfolded.::**_

**Kagura: **As you guys already know, Helio-chan here hasn't updated in quite a while. **_::pokes Helios on the side of the head repeatedly with the tip of her fan.::_**

**Sailor Helios: **Ow! Stop--ow--doing that! Ow! Stop it, damn it! **_::squirms in her seat:: _**I should have known that piece of chocolate cake was laced with sleeping potion!

**Kagura: **That's what you get for not updating pronto. **_::turns to pale little girl on the corner::_** Kanna, if you please.

_**::Kanna walks behind her and removes the blindfold. Sailor Helios blinks.::**_

**Sailor Helios: **Where am I? **_::eyes bug out:: _**Am I in…

**Kagura: _::rolls eyes:: _**No.

**Sailor Helios: _::blinks again:: _**Er, why am I seeing dead people--er--youkai then?

_**::The scorpion lady, Yura, Hiten, Manten and the rest of the departed Inuyasha villains are currently huddled in a very BIG circle, playing what seemed to be strip poker. At the moment, Manten is removing his armor::**_

**Sailor Helios: **Wah! The horror! Somebody gouge my eyes out!

**Kagura: _::gives off an evil laugh:: _**You'll be seeing more of that if you don't update soon. There are more villains where that came from.

_**::Sailor Helios' agonized screams echo in the background::**_

**Kanna: _::in a monotonous voice:: _**While Kagura is torturing Helios-chan and scarring her for life, let me give you a preview of things to come. **_::reads text appearing in her mirror:: _**Next on the Substitute: Second chances and sacrifices. Sometimes, loving someone means letting them go and letting them be happy. Will Inuyasha choose to remain human or will he finally embrace his true nature as a hanyou? What will Kikyo do now that she knows? And with the drama between Sango and Miroku, will they still have their happy ending? Tune in to the next chapter to find out. **_::tugs Kagura's kimono:: _**Where did Sailor Helios go?

**Kagura: _::notices empty chair:: _**Damn that slippery authoress! **_::spots Manten waving his pants around the center of the youkai crowd, pops a vein and blows him to infinity using her fan:: _**Good riddance.


End file.
